Scarlet Reflections
by SunshineNGunpowder21
Summary: The shadowing of another Shinobi War is settling on the Villages. Numbers of shinobi are KIA. Old enemies make allies...It's not looking good for Konoha and Suna-However they can get allies too...but what if these allies are an elite criminal organization and Sakura is caught in the middle of it all? UNDER REWRITE WILL UPDATE SOON
1. Prologue

**Hillo!!! Here's the prologue to my story. I warn you that it isn't like many other ItaSak fics. Anyway I'll get the first real chappy up in a few days!!! ****You know the drill...Naruto ****isn't mine...**

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Here I stand...Alone I sit and cup the crystal water in my palms. _Stare into me, _chants the water. _I am alone...Stare into my reflection for it is all that I have...._I stare. Instead of my reflection, I see people from lands and villages far away...But there is something wrong...These people that I see are dead. This pointless war had taken their lives away from the land of the living. How was this so?

The water doesn't respond. The silence suffocates me but I ignore it. The feeling of drowning is numb to me now. War has a way of changing people. New enemies...New allies...but that is in the past. Just like the people in my hand. I slowly spread my fingers apart and the water weeps through until nothing is left.

Warm sun rays of the early dawn break through the cracked and scarred clouds. I close my eyes and savor the moment. A breeze plays with my pink locks that are now to the middle of my back. My lips curl into a small smile before opening my eyes to the awakening world.

But my smile is conquered by a frown. Crimson blood soaked skies bleed across the horizon and the clouds darken with depression. The small red bridge that I find myself at is still over the crystal blue water-it remains untouched...

I take a deep breath and lift my emerald eyes to my reflection. What I see there staring back at me is a man just beyond my own figure. The many people have now moved on with the current and leave me alone. Onyx hair pulled back to a low ponytail and scarlet eyes stare at the mirror image of us. Nothing is said yet everything spoken. Un-worded yet soft and gentle bliss under the red dawn...

It's ironic really...The red dawn. A sign of war and tragedy. Our enemies painted this sky. Red...with blinded ambition to bring down the Shinobi Nations...

Only to be disappointed. We stand together...Our allies, our friends, our families. United we stand, and divided you fall.

Even as I mull over my thoughts, his reflection is still behind me. His handsome features illuminated by the dim red sun. I look to my katana that lays next to me then back to the river's surface. I can see the frustration and lack of sleep on my features and the intensity in his. I know what he wants and I stand to my feet in agonizing slowness.

Our trust has grown but our faiths shaken. Souls still strong, but not without scars...A suicidal tear trails down my cheek before diving into the river below. A ripple endlessly stretches to the surrounding banks before it stills. Gentle hand on my shoulder, keep me near. One last glance at our image, before we go...

One last glance into scarlet reflections...

**There it is. When you get into the story more it will make sense. I'll update in a few days-Promise!!! ****Please review--It's easy...Just push the little button at the bottom of the page. ****; ) ****Thanks!**


	2. Sticks and Stones

**Sorry I haven't updated sooner! Was busy with my other story, but here I am. BTW, there are alot of mixes. Like when they journey to the Bridge of Heaven and Earth, Kakashi will be along with them and so will my OC Ryuu...Oh and Sakura has a really awesome sword from her dad...OK I'm done...On with the story!**

**Don't own Naruto...only the badass Ryuu.**

_thoughts/flashback_

**Inner Sakura**

The storm raged relentlessly overhead. A figure with onyx black hair pulled his dark cloak over his carmine armor, but it didn't offer much protection from the cold driplets of rain that trailed down his neck. Slowly he made his way to the hillside that over looked the borders of Sound and Fire Country. A sudden lightning strike and its accompanying crack of thunder were echoed through the frigid night air. The rain seemed to pelt harder with every closing step, while reducing visibility. But he was almost there. He knew these lands like he knew his own room. He was after all immortal.

Slowly, the silhouette of a man became visible through the falling rain. Though what was seen through the rain was dimmed by the dark. Reaching the hill, the silhouette shifted to see the man hidden in the dark cloak approach. They stood next to each other, in silence, and looked out to Fire Country only for the lightning to strike through the skies and disappear, illuminating the hundreds of trees.

"The arrangements have been made and you have Otogakure's full army behind you," stated the man with long hair that was tangled in a wet mess. The cloaked man shifted slightly next to him as a brisk wind wrapped around them.

"That's good to hear," he replied without turning to the long haired man. Golden eyes stared at the onyx haired man before a mallious smirk formed.

"What do you plan to do now?" He licked his lips before continuing, "No doubt, gather other villages to join us in our revolution will be top priority."

"Not quiet."

Long hair swayed and a confused frown conquered his features. "Then what are we going to do first?"

Lightning darted out over head, illuminating the carmine armor under the dark cloak. "Before we gather allies, we need more power...The Akatsuki have that power."

At the mention of Akatsuki, the second man scowled. "You know as well as I do that they will not have anything to do with this plan. They want to use that power for there own goals."

"And that is why I came to you first. They have all of the tailed demons sealed away in the King of Hell statue. Our work is nearly finished. All that is needed is to collect the power of the demons away from the Akatsuki...That's where your experiments come in." His deep voice boomed above the thunder effortless, yet quietly. The Mizukage stared at the clouds for a moment.

"Let's be rational Ryuu, they still haven't collected the nine-tailed...Are we really going to wait until they get it? It would be wise to start other arrangements while we wait."

"Orochimaru, you are a clever man but not brilliant. That is why your past attempts at revenge over Konoha have failed."

_And your attempts succeeded_? The Sannin thought bitterly. That was after all why "Ryuu" had come to him...he had failed before, but who was Orochimaru to say no to a chance at revenge? "Then what are the arrangements on Sasuke, hm? If he finds out about our plan to attack Akatsuki then he will take the opportunity to kill Itachi."

"If Sasuke does attack Itachi then let me handle it...There won't be any problems when he learns what his precious Konoha had done to his clan." Ryuu looked back to the forest of Fire Country. "Soon his hate will help us in our victory over Konoha and Suna."

"Kukuuku. So...," Orochimaru grinned and licked his lips again. "Let us see if Konoha will stand tall at the end of _this_ Shinobi War..."

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A young woman stared out the window of her apartment. The early sun rose agonizingly slow across the village of Konoha. Questing hands caressed the curtains to the window before gently pulling it back to light the small room up. Long pink locks bounced against her mid-back as she looked out the window to the waking village. With a contempt sigh, she turned around and started to pick up random clothes that were sprung out across her floor.

Every since four months ago when her parents where killed, she had lived in this apartment just a few blocks from the hospitable. Pay from her missions and hospitable duty kept her on her feet easily, leaving extra money for more important things then bills....Such as ramen with Naruto and drinks with the other kunoichi on there annual Girl Nights.

You may be wondering what she was in such a good mood for...Well today was the day that her and Naruto would be going to the Bridge of Heaven and Earth. Of course she had already gotten a phone call from the knucklehead about there new stand-in member, Sai. Oh, she wasn't looking forward to the travel with Naruto and Sai. From what he said about the artist...he was a total dick. Sigh. She guessed that she would just have to cope. Then again, Tsunade had told her that Kakashi was going to be with her along with another Jounin. What was his name again....

**...Yamato**, reminded inner-Sakura.

Oh, that's right. Hopefully it wouldn't be another Maito Gai....

Emerald eyes looked over her attire in the mirror; red tank-top with the Haruno symbol on her back, black shorts under her medic-skirt. She smiled to herself and brushed her hair before pulling it into a high pony tail while letting her bangs fall around her face. Turning to the nightstand next to her bed, she grabbed her kunai pouch before kneeling under her bed.

Calloused hands reached under to pull out a long black leather box. Unlocking the silver latch before lifting the top with an old squeak. The long box was lined with scarlet satin and in the heart was a katana. With a steel blade, it said in black kanji "Stand, Fight, Resist thus the blade will be wielded". There was scarlet leather braided around the hilt with the sheath being and onyx scabbard. It was her father's sword before he was killed. He had used it many times, even in a battle that save the fourth Hokage. She had decided three months ago that she would learn to wield it in memory of her father. Since then, Kakashi had taught her sword play, even going so far as to teach her Anbu techniques.

She sighed and strapped it to her back. Today would be the first time she would use it for a mission. And it would be for a good use too. She just hoped that this time, they would get Sasuke back. Sakura stood up with a determined arua.

This time, she would not fail.

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Sakura sighed for the umpteenth time that day. She really was going to kill some one by night fall, that much was obvious. After a loooonnnng morning of constantly trying to keep everyone-cough-Sai and Naruto-from attacking each other, she was at the end of her rope. And what was up with Kakashi and Yamato? They seemed to always be talking in codes...or something. Ugh! She just couldn't take it much longer!! Of course inner Sakura wasn't helping either with her constant**-Grrr! I'm gonna kick his faggot ass right now!! Cha**! and** If he calls us ugly one more time, I'll fucking knock his teeth in! **Seriously, how much did she have to suffer?!

_(Flashback)_

_"I'm sorry about earlier. I just wanted to know how strong you where seeing as we would be on the same team." Sai had said with his fake smile plastered on. _

_"Oh," Naruto began, "You didn't have to go that far."_

_"Well thanks to our little encounter, I learned that you are a useless, dickless pantywaist."_

_"..."_

_Silence..._

_then..._

_"What was that you asshole?!!" Naruto yelled as he struggled to get out of Sakura's hold._

_"Naruto-He's our teammate now, don't start fights with him!" she reminded over his threats. As soon as he settled down, she had turned to Sai. "And you, you really are being a jerk."_

_But he just gave a small chuckle, "Oh really?"_

_"If you keep acting like that, everyone will hate you." _

_Then the poor boy had to keep talking..."Oh? But I really like ugly bitches like you..." He truly did have a death wish._

_"..."_

_Silence..._

_then..._

_"What was that you asshole?!!" Only this time, Sai's savior had arrive just on time. Who was this masked hero...Well a certain white-gravity defying haired shinobi. __"Remember what you just told Naruto!"_

Sakura sighed...again. Perhaps she could focus on more important things...like the mission. After her recent battle with Akasuna No Sasori, she had gained information about a spy for Akatsuki. Apparently they had a little get together at the Heaven and Earth Bridge...This was there chance to get information to assassinate Orochimaru and to retrieve Sasuke...

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"I swear that I'll kill that damn copy-cat the next time I see him, yeah!" threatened a fuming blonde. "OW! Damn it Kakuzu-that hurts!"

"Oh, shut up, already," Kakuzu sighed. He pulled another string through Deidara's shoulder. "Next time keep your arms _attached. _Just because Hidan can pull himself apart and put his limbs back together doesn't mean you can, or should try."

"Don't compare me to that crazy ass sadist, un." Deidara pouted as he looked around the room to keep from watching Kakuzu sew his arm back on. It really was a...disturbing sight, even for this homicidal bomber. He was sitting in his room deep in the cave in River Country. After a few weeks ago, everyone had arrived to find the base completely oblivorated. Safe to say that they where thankful for the leader's knowledge on a few rebuilding jutsus and that the crazy puppeteer kept his opponents from destroying the living quarters deeper in the cave. _Keh, he managed to do one thing right with his art before he died, yeah. _A frown curled onto the blonde's lips. When he heard the news on Sasori's death, he didn't know what he felt. There was a deep pain in his chest but he couldn't bring himself to cry. Even though their ideals on art where relatively different, they still held respect for one another as artists. He would miss the puppeteer.

He did after all leave him to the craziest, most disturbing thing that Deidara had ever set his cerulean eyes on... Nightmares of this...thing had haunted him since the bastard tried to take his arm and he knew that he would do everything he could to survive the monstrosity....

The monstrosity known as...

_Tobi_

Kami knew that the brat would be the death of him soon enough...A sharp pain in his arm brought him out of his musings. "OWW! Kakuzu!"

"I said SHUT UP you pansy!!!"

"I'm _not _a pansy, yeah!"

"So you admit to it?"

"No, yeah."

"Is that a no or a yeah?"

"It's a 'Shove it up your ass!' Yeah!"

Each man glared at each other, unaware of an observer. "Will you two keep it down?" asked the stoic orange haired leader. Both men sobered up immediately. "Hai."

Just then Deidara's nightmare peeked his head around the door frame. "Senpia! Are you all right?!" He charged to Deidara who sat on his bed with Kakuzu in a chair next to him.

"No-no-noo, Tobi!" Deidara warned as he held his free arm out trying to signal to Tobi not to come closer. "Stay away-"

Glomp!

"Oh, Senpai! You have your arms back on! Tobi sorry that he was poking them..." He turned to Kakuzu who suddenly began to sweat. "Can Tobi sew his arms back on?! Tobi wants to help," he yelled while he jumped up and down on the bed.

"Uhh..." Kakuzu looked to the string in his hand to Tobi then back again.

"Wait, Kakuzu...Let's think about this, yeah," pleaded Deidara from Tobi's arm lock.

"Here you are Tobi," said the masked man as he handed him the string. Tobi eagerly grabbed the string and stared at the needle tip.

Suddenly the lights seemed to dim as Tobi turned agonizingly slow towards Deidara. With a skeptical glance towards the orange mask, a shine from the tip of the needle caught the light in a wink that promised a dark path that the blonde didn't want to think about. "N-now Tobi...You put that needle down slowly, un."

"Hehe, but Senpai...Tobi wants to fix you." His gloved hands reached for Deidara's arm that hung limply at his side, but the blonde jumped to his feet and was in front of Kakuzu-who was nearly out the door-in a flash.

"Move, Deidara." Kakuzu said as he tried to pass. "No-wait, un. I'll give you half my pay from my mission getting the tailed demon if you finish it, yeah."

Kakuzu stopped and thought for a moment. "I want 3/4's of it."

"That's not fair! I worked my ass of to get it!" He thought about it for a moment. Then a devious smirk crossed his handsome features. "I'll keep my payment but you can have Sasori's..."

"Deal." Kakuzu began to finish his suture and Pein just shook his head.

"B-but, Tobi wanted to help-"

"Tobi can help by staying away, un."

"Kakuzu," Pein said to the masked man. "How long until Deidara will be able to return to missions?"

"Hm," he pondered in mid-sew. "Give him a week tops." With two more sews he tied it off and stepped back. "How is it?"

Deidara flexed his fingers and rotated his arm in a ciricle. "It works great, yeah," he grinned.

"That's good to hear." Pein turned to leave the room when the doors suddenly busted open.

"Pein-sama," panted Konan. "The base is under attack...The others are trying to hold them off."

The stoic man narrowed his ringed eyes; immediately turning from calm leader to ruthless shinobi. "Looks like you don't have a week Deidara," he said as his cloak disappeared around the door frame, followed by Konan. Deidara and Kakuzu exchanged glances before nodding and grabbing their own weapons. Tobi watched them leave from his spot on the bed before looking at the clock on the dresser. 3:37pm... Quickly, Tobi jumped off the bed and ran after the others. "Senpai-wait for Tobiiii!!!"

After a few curves through twisted halls and tunnels, Deidara, Kakuzu and Tobi arrived to the once repaired cavern. There was a skylight opening in the middle to shed light down on the battle and the once calm waters through the cave floor rippled in small waves from various attacks. There across the scattered boulders and restless waters were at least 60 shinobi battling the Akatsuki. At the base of the towering King of Hell statue stood, Itachi and Kisame while Hidan zigged through the many enemies with his eerie scythe at his side. Konan was on a small over hang above Pein who fought along side of Zetsu.

"Looks like it'll be a bang, yeah!" said an enthusiastic bomber who dipped his hands in his clay pouch. Summoning chakra to the souls of his feet, he sprinted to the over hang that was 35ft from the ground before jumping off in a series of flips.

"Senpai! No-don't commit suicide!" Tobi yelled as he ran to the end but immediately stopped when a larde clay bird took to the air with Deidara on his back. "Go, Senpai!" cheered Tobi as he jumped up and down.

Deidara looked over his shoulder to the happy orange masked shinobi. "Shut up, yeah! You're embarrassing me!"

"Ooohh, Tobi sorry!!! Tobi will make it up to you, Senpai! Maybe Tobi can rub your feet later!!"

Deidara's eyebrow twitched. Oh he was going to kill him...Maybe he could _accidentily_ drop a bomb on him during the fight...He chuckled deviously.

Meanwhile Kakuzu had jumped down next to Hidan who was happily chopping down a few opponants. "What happened?"

"What the fuck?" Hidan said before he realized it was Kakuzu. "Hey it's about fucking time you showed up, asshole!"

"Shut up, Hidan," he said as he summoned his monkey like mask. There was a green haired shinobi that charged at him with two sai's drawn. He leaped into the air but Kakuzu disappeared before meeting him in mid-air with a kunai to his gut. He flipped off the falling body, landing next to Hidan while the green-haired man fell to his knees; clutching the kunai in one hand, he stood slowly before giving Kakuzu and Hidan a toothy grin to show filed teeth much like Kisame's. "What the hell?"

"Oh, yeah,"grinned a cheerful Hidan. "If ya want to kill the fuckers, then you gotta cut their damn heads off." He turned his back his partner to block another attack from a different opponent.

"You dumbass-you should've told me sooner." He dodged another attack before sending some of his threads from his body to wrap around the ninja's throat. The threads tightened around his neck until he was motionless. Kakuzu released the lifeless body and turned to three others that surrounded him. Hidan stood behind him with his curse activated.

His skin was a jet black with skeleton like markings across his exposed body. As another enemy shinobi attacked, Hidan caught sight of the forehead protector to see a Sound symbol. he swung his crimson triple-bladed scythe horizontally, effectively cutting the poor ninja's head off. He looked over his shoulder to Kakuzu before reporting, "Hey, Kakuzu-these fuckers are from-"

He stopped mid-sentence when the same green-haired shinobi that was "killed" swung the pair of sais at Kakuzu's back. "Son of a bitch," he mumbled as he jumped in between his partner and the opponent while drawing said partner's attention. He raised his scythe just as the shiobi juped, causing him to hit the blade that sliced right through his neck. "I told you to fucking cut the damn heads off!"

"Shut up, Hidan," he warned while he blocked an attack carelessly. "I could've handled it without you getting in the way!"

"Tsh. Inconsiderate prick," he said turning back to the fight. "Maybe there too fucking hard for you to handle, eh? They're nearly immortal like me. You should probably go sit you lazy ass down so you don't fucking hurt your faggot self."

"Says the guy who needs help being put back together," Kakuzu said. As if to prove his point, he elbowed the back of Hidan's head, causing it to loll to the side, half attached.

"Fuck you, bastard!" Hidan killed one more opponent before straightening his head back onto his neck.

"Listen, dumbass, we need to hurry up and kill them-"

"No need to tell me, Kakuzu."

Across the cave, Zetsu and Tobi rounded a few of the enemies up. Each one had nearly seven opponents each and where struggling slightly. Together they sped through the opponents from under ground. "Why doesn't Zetsu eat the bodies? Maybe you eating will scare everyone away!"

"I will not eat their bodies...**They reek of medications..."****  
**

"But Tobi thinks that you will scare everyone away..." Tobi ducked under a water blade attack before appearing behind the attacker and decapitating him.

Zetsu sighed as he came out of the ground behind another sharp toothed shinobi. "I'm not eating them Tobi." He couldn't figure it out but the smell of medication was overwhelming and with their strange behavior, he knew they weren't normal. Not one of them had said a single word throughout the fight and all they seemed to care about was the statue. After he had realized this, Pein and Konan had went to assist Itachi and Kisame to fend them off. He knew they weren't normal so... what were they? Were they after the tailed demons?

Meanwhile, Pein was busy thinking of a plan. Currently the numbers where decreasing in enemies but after the extraction no more then two weeks ago his men where still recovering from the extreme chakra use. It was apparent that the small army had their eyes on the King of Hell statue. With an idea forming he looked over his men. They were doing fine for the most part. But it seemed as if the enemy ninjas that were still alive were stronger and more skilled then the previous. When ever the enemy ninja grouped together or started to over power one of the other teams, Deidara seemed to take care of them from the air. But one thing was for sure...Pein wasn't willing to risk any more of his men's lives.

"Konan," his deep voice boomed through the echoing attacks. "I need one of your empty scrolls. Give me the most durable one you have."

Konan looked down from her spot on the statue's fingers. "Hai." Her blue hair had begun to fall from its usual bun and framed around her heart-shaped face. She pulled out a scroll and tossed it down to Pein who caught it just as he flipped over another shinobi. Grabbing the scroll, he summoned chakra to his feet and with a few long jumps, he reached the head of the statue. Unfortunately, the 15 that he was fighting followed after him, but just as they surrounded them, a wave of water crashed over the entire statue like a tsuname wave making all the enemies slide off as if it was ice. However Pein jumped out of reach just in time.

Looking down he saw that Kisame had sent the wave and with Itachi, had killed the falling enemies from the statue. "Itachi," he yelled down, attracting the stoic Uchiha's attention. "Kill any one who comes near this statue."

Itachi nodded his head to show that he heard before throwing a kunai into a kunoichi's throat.

"What does he think we've been doing this whole time? Drinking Sake," complained Kisame as he swiped Samahada vertically. "Man, I would like to be drinking Sake instead of fighting damn Sound-nin."

"Hn." Itachi activated a genjutsu on the surrounding ninja causing them all to stop in mid-attack. Each of there eye's shifted frantically from side to side but it didn't go unnoticed by crimson eyes. "They must be experiements," he mused aloud.

Kisame gave him a puzzled look. "What makes you say that, hm? They look like a bunch of retarded freaks to me."

Itachi sweat dropped. "Last time I checked, they didn't have blue skin..."

"..." Kisame stared wide-eyed at Itachi and pointed an accusing finger. "D-did you j-just make...a joke?"

Itachi glanced at him from the corner of his eyes and with a small twitch of the corner of his lips he answered, "Hn." before turning back to the ninja that had begun to attack each other from the genjutsu.

"Oi! Kisame-Itachi, un," yelled Deidara as his bird landed a few yards away from them. He jumped off with the wind from his bird's wings blowing his golden locks around his face. "There is a second wave of ninja coming, yeah! Only two miles away!"

Itachi and Kisame exchanged wary glances but before either could say anything, the remaining of Akatsuki joined the three. "What the fuck?! How many more are there?! If they walk through that shity boulder, I'll fucking rip them all apart."

"Realx man. If they come, I'll kill my fair share as well." Kisame grinned.

"Not if i kill the fags first," Hidan smirked as he fingered his blade. Kakuzu just rolled his eyes and Tobi watched the exchange with interest.

"You'll actually need Kisame's help on this one, un."

Hidan's smirk turned to a frown. "What-you don't think I can take them, bitch?"

Cerulean eyes narrowed. "Don't call me that, bastard, or I'll blow your sadistic ass up, yeah."

Hidan grinned and stepped in front of Deidara. "What part of immortal don't you understand?"

"Enough." Itachi said in a smooth voice. "Now what did you mean that we would need Kisame's help?"

Deidara turned to the onyx haired man. "These shinobi aren't _just _Sound-nin...They're Mist-nin too, yeah."

Before anyone could say anything else, a sudden rise of chakra shook the cave and they looked to the source to see Pein and Konan at the topof the statue. Waves of chakra rippled through the air almost knocking the Akatsuki on the ground. There was a deep groan and a light speared through the darkness. Itachi raised a hand to block the light from his sensitive eyes before a dark purple and orange chakra began to coil around the statue and sinking into the scroll at the top.  
The cracks scattered across the fallow stone walls echoing a rumble that shook the cavern. Boulders began to fall and a terrible wind warped through the air towards the statue where it started to dissolve into the seal.

"We have to get out of here," said a winded Kakuzu.

"Not yet...We still don't have orders," Itachi stated as he jumped out of the way of a 2 ton boulder that crashed to the ground, forming a crater and dust to rise in a thick cloud.

"Fuck orders. Let's get out of here!" Hidan exclaimed.

"Is Hidan scared? Tobi thought that he wasn't scared of dying..." Tobi said shakily with a curious tilt of his head.

"Screw you, fag."

"Tobi's name isn't fag...Tobi's name is Tobi."

"I'm gonna sacrifice him..." he said as he started to make his way to the clueless masked man.

"Hidan-that's enough," said a voice from behind them. They turned around to see Pein and Konan finishing the seal before rolling the scroll up that was in the same place where the statue was before it was sealed. Pein stood slowly and put the scroll into his cloak.

The cave seemed to still for a split second before it rumbled with a shaky roar of boulders that tumbled to the cavern floor. "Let's get out of here," he ordered with Konan following right at his heels. "Do not fight unless you have to. I want us to stay together until we have successfully made it into the trees. Then you will split up into your teams and I will give your team directions to our meeting spot when it is clear."

"Hai," they said in unison as they stepped out of the collapsing cave. Clouds of smoke obscured the sun from the cave and the wind blew cold outside. Naturally their eyes adjusted in only a short time before they leapt into the branches. Just as planned, they split up into teams and Itachi and Kisame headed east towards Fire while hiding there chakra signatures.

"Hey, Itachi," asked Kisame's gruff voice next to him through the trees. After he got no responce, which he was used to, he continued. "Why are we heading east? That's where those crazy ninja would most likely be-Not that I care 'cause I don't, but it just isn't like you to disobey orders and go towards the fight..."

There was a small moment of silence. "...Hn."

Kisame rolled his eyes when he was sure the stoic Uchiha wasn't looking. Of course Itachi did see it...nothing got past him, but he decided to humor Kisame and pretend that he didn't.

They continued jumping from tree branch to tree branch but just as Kisame predicted, they ran into their fight soon enough. Both stopped on one branch above the charging ninja that hadn't noticed them yet. There cloaks billowed softly with the leaves eerily and Kisame gave a tooth grin. Too bad the ninjas didn't know they would soon be fried and barbequed...Hehe-poor bastards.

Itachi quickly performed a few hand signs before raising his right hand to his mouth for one of his favorite fire jutsus that he had created himself. With one deep breath he blew into his hand, causing a pure white flame, layered in shades of grays, to dart towards the unsuspecting Mist and Sound nin. Tongues of the flames licked at the trees and bodies of the frontline ninja that could put up little resistance against the flames. During this time the eldest Uchiha took the time to observe the mysterious shinobi. They did not wear armor like normal jounins or even Anbus. Instead nearly all the Sound-nin wore white robes with purple roped belts while the Mist wore abnormal vests and long pants that he had only seen a mental ninja wear. Something wasn't right about this...

Jumping to a closer branch to see the panicking ninja, he noticed that their eyes where dull and colorless and their skin was pale. Suddenly, just as Itachi came to a conclusion, it was only reaffirmed by what he saw next. Sensing a very familiar chakra, he signaled for Kisame to follow and they leapt to a high branch to see the new arrival.

"Kukukuu," chuckled a familiar voice from the shadows. "Looks like all my experiments have failed..." He walked into the light from the shadows of the trees, unaware that Itachi and Kisame where watching. Behind the long haired Sannin was a man with white hair that was pulled back in a low ponytail at the base of his neck. He pushed round glasses higher onto the bridge of his nose with a smirk of his own.

"I've gotten word that the Akatsuki have disappeared...They also sealed the statue with the demons in a scroll," Kabuto reported.

"Ah, yes, that causes a problem..." Orochimaru walked to the bodies of his experiments. "Ryuu will be disappointed....I suppose we will just have to start gathering allies on our own." As he kneeled to the smoldering body, he examined the jutsu. He had never witnessed a fire attack that used white flames...But like cold water, he froze. If there was anyone to invent a fire jutsu like this, it would be two Uchiha's and one was definitely out of the mix. Trying to play it in a relaxed tone, he stood up slowly. "Well are you going to say hi to me, Itachi?" he asked, hoping his guess was wrong...really wrong...

Two chakra signatures flared from the trees and Orochimaru hoped that he hadn't said too much information. "I see you have gotten strong, child."

Crimson eyes glared from where he stood. "Like wise...You seem to have use of your arms..."

"Ah, yes," he said while holding a hand out and flexing his fingers. "Kabuto, here, has learned a few new tricks...Along with an allie-Ryuu-san."

"Hn."

"Oh is that all that you have to say?" Golden eyes seemed to mock the Sharingan wielder. "What a shame. Come Kabuto we have a meeting with a certain shinobi at the bridge..." He turned around and started to walk back into the darkness of the trees, followed by Kabuto. They had said too much and needed to think of their plan....

"Aren't we going after them?" Kisame asked with a confused frown. He hated the snake-like bastard and was really itching for a good fight, but he knew that Itachi had used too much chakra. Hell even Kisame was tired from his battle and the extraction. It was a rare occasion indeed.

Meanwhile a few miles northeast, Pein and Konan stood on a high branch over looking a small valley. "Pein-sama," Konan said from her spot at his right side. "What do we plan to do?"

"..." He stood silent for a moment, deep in thought. "We will head to the one place that will be willing to accommodate us." Putting a hand to his ear, he activate the speaker. A small static told him he was on line. "Men we are heading east of our base..." He turned around to stare at the setting sun in the distance making masquerades of colors paint the sky. "...To Konohagakure..."

**Dun-dun-duun!!! So now we have a few bad guys...and Akatsuki seemed to need some help. Wonder what Konoha is gonna do...And I wonder what will happen with Sakura and the meeting at the bridge...**

**Please review!!!**


	3. Where this leads

**Sorry-sorry-sorry-sorry-sorry!!!! I got so caught up in my other story that I completely neglected this one! (smacks self in the back of the head) Ok I promise to update weekly to the best of my ability! ****  
**

**Here we go!****  
**

**Disclaimer...Don't own anything except Ryuu...**

Rays of sunshine pierced through scattered clouds over a sea of viridian trees. In the distance, the Hokage Mountain was visible with Konoha backed against the cliff. A hawk glided overhead peacefully before disappearing in the glare of the sun.

Following shortly after the hawk was a much larger bird that casted a shadow over four figures that stood in an edge of cliff; a breeze ruffled the cloaks around their legs.

"Pein-sama," addressed a woman with blue locks pulled back into a twisted bun. "What is the plan?"

The man didn't advert his gaze from the distant village, too lost in thought to realize his men that stood behind him where waiting on an answer.

It had been years since he had brought Akatsuki to life. How many years...too many to count and too faded in locked away memories to look back on. Too many sacrifices made, too many adventures spent...and so close to his goals--No. His ambition to have peace with no more suffering...

But today it would burn.

Today it ended...

"Pein-sama," Konan said again in a slightly worried tone.

The orange-haired man turned to face Konan and the team. "Where's the others?" he questioned in a deep voice.

"The fucking plant is searching the ground for an fucking goody leaf-nins," Hidan replied while teetering his scythe over his right shoulder.

"And Deidara and Tobi are checking from the air, leader-sama," Kakusu answered.

Ringed eyes glanced between the two men. "And what of Itachi and Kisame?"

"I received a radio signal saying that they would catch up soon.." Konan answered.

Pein's gaze turned to her. "Did they say where they were heading?" She shook her head, making Pein close his eyes before looking back at Konoha. "We will stop our hunt on the demons. It seems that whoever sent the small army isn't just stopping there."

"You think there will be another attack?"

"No."

"There will be a _war_...and we'll need allies."

*******************************************

"So which one of us are going to go as Sasori?" Kakashi asked over his famous orange book.

"I'll do it. That way you can...," Yamato paused to think of the correct phrase. Keep the team from killing each other came to mind, but he preferred to keep the others from knowing so instead he finished with, "have my back from here."

Kakashi gave an eye crinkle and closed his book with one hand. "Right then." He turned to the red bridge from his spot behind a boulder. "Sakura and Naruto will go behind that log. Sai, I want you next to them in the bush and I'll wait right here and keep and eye on everyone."

"Hey! Why do we have to go down there but you get to stay?! And why does that asshole," he yelled while pointing at Sai, "have to be with us-"

"Shut up, baka,"Sakura whispered hoarsely with a punch to his head. "Don't be too loud!"

"Ow-Sakura...you don't have to hit so hard..." Naruto whined while he nurtured his bump but it fell on deaf ears as she started to creep down to her given spot. Sai began to follow, but Naruto roughly pushed past him instead, almost causing both of them to fall. Kakashi just shook he head with a sigh of his own.

"I wonder if they'll ever get along." Yamato only answered Kakashi with a shrug before heading down to the bridge in his disguise. The wind whipped at Yamato's cloak viciously in waves and continued to rake through the surrounding forest. A jingle from the bell off his hat and the occasional scrape of the wood from the puppet to the wood on the bridge scratched softly.

There in the center of the bridge was a cloaked figure who stared out to the bottom of the crevice. The figure didn't make any moves to acknowledge, Yamato's presence until he was a few feet away; just enough distance to talk while not dropping there guards incase a fight arose.

The white-haired shinobi scanned the landscape with cunning eyes. Each one taking in different elements, searching ever nook in the trees on either side of the bridge. Everything seemed clear and safe. Plan going great....But a trap was meant to feel safe. He swept his gaze horizontally again while looking back at the two figures on the bridge. Hopefully everything would go along as planned...

Just down the way sat the three teens as they watched through the bushes.

"Hey, Sakura-chan...What do you think they're talking about?" Naruto questioned in a low whisper.

"I have no idea," she replied while not taking her eyes from the two men.

"Oh....Hey, Sakura-chan, what was the signal?" he continued.

Sakura sweat dropped at the answer to his question. Now she felt like an idiot. "...I have no idea..."

"Oh..."

Silence blanketed them as three pairs of eyes stared out. Everything was constantly moving; being pushed around by the wind in vicious jerks. Sakura didn't like it. The wind worked well with sound due to Kakashi and Naruto's keen hearing...but made it worse for them as well. If there was any enemy ninja in the area, they had a better chance at moving around as freely as they wanted to without team 7 noticing. Their movement would be concealed from the billowing branches and it would only look like wind.

Unconsciously, she gripped the hilt of her katana that was strapped to her back.

"Hey, Sakura..."

The pink-haired girl sighed irritably and finally tore her gaze from the two men. "What Naruto?"

The blonde only fingered a small stain on his pants before looking up. "Why don't we just go down there all ready? I mean we don't know what the signal is so how do we know if Yamato wants us down there or not?"

"Patience is foreign to you, isn't it dickless?" Sai so generously commented.

Cerulean eyes narrowed and his lips thinned. "Shut up, asshole! Or I'll throw you down that cliff!"

Sai only grinned. "I don't think you can."

"Will you two shut up," Sakura whispered hoarsely while squeezing their shoulders in a warning. "I can't believe Kakashi left me with you two."

"Eh, Sakura-it's his fault!"

"Whenever you're around there always seems to be trouble...You sure you're not the one at fault?" she questioned dryly.

Emerald eyes looked back just in time to see Yamato jump away from the now ruined puppet. Kabuto stood only a few feet away with none other then Orochimaru just behind him.

"That bastard," Naruto gritted out. Sakura looked back at the blonde who seemed to do a 180 in attitude. His cheerful self was now replaced by the angry shinobi.

On the bridge, Yamato kneeled from where he landed. _So_, he thought, _this was a trap meant for Sasori...And we fell for it...__  
_

A long tongue flicked around thin lips before a deep chuckle left the Sannin. "Why don't you call the three little rats out to join us?"

Yamato inwardly flinched. So he knew the whole time...With a wave of two fingers, Sakura, Naruto and Sai landed in front of him.

"Give Sasuke back to us," Naruto growled out through clenched teeth.

His answer was another chuckle from Orochimaru before Kabuto grinned and pushed his glasses higher up onto his nose. "We can't simply 'give him back' Naruto-kun...He came to us on his own free will."

"That's right...If you want the information then I guess you have to beat it out of me...Keh, that is, if you can."

Naruto's anger increased tenfold as the Kyuubi chakra began to override his own. Sakura's eyes widened as she stared at Naruto. _What is happening? __  
_

There was an eerie bubbling that echoed around them with the wind. The chakra seemed to be boiling as the orange surrounded his body and a single tail molded itself. Before anyone could utter a word, Naruto shot off the ground in a blinding, wood crushing speed that shook the bridge before he sent a punch into Orochimaru's unsuspecting body, causing him to be thrown back into the forest before disappearing; leaving everyone in disbelief. Kabuto stared in amazement while Sakura thought back to what Chiyo had said to her.

_"When a jinnurichi learns to control it's Bijuu then they gain unimaginable power..."_"Naruto..."

As if hearing her whisper, he turned his head with cold red eyes to stare at her as if to say, this is me...

Sakura stood up from her crouch and stared warily between Kabuto and Naruto. Not sure who she should be more worried about. What had changed Naruto over the two years?

Kakashi stood behind the scenes. So far, it seemed as if he hadn't been notice so it would be best to keep the surprise on their side for a while longer. After all they may be able to reverse the trap...Then again, maybe not. If Naruto continued to grow tails then he would most likely have to interfere-blowing his cover and the teams advantage. But until then, he would do everything he could from right there...He just hoped that Yamato would be able to use the First Hokage's technique when it was needed.

Back on the bridge, Sakura's gaze turned back to the re-arrival of Orochimaru. At first she thought she had saw his face wince from pain, but as soon as it appeared, it vanished...Could Naruto actually injure him that bad in one hit... Maybe they would get the information yet.

**(Ok I'm doing my own thing--Meaning that we're going to mix it up! So please no bashing. It's my style Now!!)**

Kakashi narrowed his crimson eye as he stared through the leaves. He could feel the shockwaves of the nine-tail's chakra that stung through the wind. It was getting stronger, and he knew that it was only a matter of time before he started to sprout more tails..._Damn it._And like he predicted, two more tails slowly bubbled to wave in vicious jerks with the one before. He pulled his gaze away from Naruto to see Yamato watching the blonde. What was he doing? Couldn't he see that he needed to get Naruto under control before it was too late?

Again he spoke too soon as the Kyuubi's chakra increased in a wave...But Kabuto was already making his move. A lone crimson eye watched as Kabuto summoned blue chakra to his hand before charging at the blonde, but he froze in his steps as soon as Naruto's attention switched to him. With a crushing pressure of chakra and a blinding light, the bridge crumbled into the crevice while sending Kabuto hurtling towards a blinded Sakura.

Everything seemed to slow down as Kabuto hit Sakura, sending her over the edge of what was left of the bridge.

"Sai-Get Sakura!" Yamato ordered over the wind as he tried to keep the bridge up. Sai said nothing as he lept onto his painting of a bird and flew after Orochimaru and Naruto. The kunoichi let out a scream, while she tried with all she had to use her chakra to grab the rocky cliff, but she was too far. "Sakura!"

Her name was swept away by the wind as she hurtled towards the bottom of the crevice. There was a sudden hit to her ribs that pulled her to a solid form. Looking up, she sighed in relief as Kakashi held her around her waist while holding onto the rocks. "Thanks Kakashi...Out of all the times that you chose not to be late I'm glad it was this one."

Kakashi gave her a grin under his mask. "Hey, I'm not that bad..."

Sakura huffed and crossed her arms, unintentionally pushing up her breasts. "Yeah you are." Kakashi chose not to say anything seeing as she had a point.

Together, they climbed back up to the top to meet up with Yamato and a distant Kabuto. "Kakashi, Sakura. You're not hurt, are you?"

"Better if we knew what is going on with Naruto and Sai," Sakura said bitterly as she stared at the damage of the bridge.

"I have a clone over there now and so far they are fighting...It seems even, but there are some bad news," Yamato said gravely.

"My guess is that Naruto has gained an extra tail..."Kakashi said in an equal tone.

Yamato answered in a nod earning a questioning look from Sakura. "What does the fourth tail do?"

The two men looked to each other before Kakashi sighed. "Sakura you have to understand that Naruto isn't himself. As soon as the fourth tail appears he looses control. He can't even tell friend from enemy..." He turned to Yamato. "We're going to have to stop him before another tail appears."

"Hai. I know exactly where they are-"

"I'm coming too."

Kakashi turned back to Sakura. "Not this time. I don't want-"

"Kakashi," she said in a firm voice and flaring emerald eyes. "I'm not weak anymore. What do I have to do to prove it? Don't answer," she said when Kakashi started to say something. "I'm going with you and that's final."

"..."

"..."

Sigh. "Alright but just remember that Naruto won't be able to tell you from Orochimaru."

Sakura gave a firm nod but not even a moment later did a sickening cry echo around them and a blur speed past them into the nearby cliff. Dust rolled in waves before it was swept away by the wind to show Naruto covered in a murky blood red chakra that covered his body, making him look like a miniature version of the kyuubi.

All shinobi stared wide eyed at Naruto who swiped a blade away with a jagged claw. Kabuto had now joined the others but no one seemed to pay him any mind as they watched Naruto growl out in a voice not his own; a cry that burned their ears before Naruto snarled at Orochimaru's direction. It was only moments later that Orochimaru's presence joined the others from the other side of the red bridge.

Yamato elbowed Kakashi gently to show him that they were in a bad position. It didn't take a genius to know that they were now the ones that were out of control. On one side was Kabuto, though he didn't seem to be planning anything against them, and on the other was Orochimaru. Of course Naruto was just as big of a threat at this point and Sai was nowhere to be seen.

.....Damn their luck.

"Well, I'd say we are all at a disappointing stage now aren't we?" Orochimaru's sly voice was easily heard over the wind and chakra. "It seems as though all our plans have unraveled...what a shame. Kukukuu, but I think that we still have the upper hand."

"Why don't you do the world a favor and crawl under a rock and die!" Sakura yelled with a snarl on her lips.

Orochimaru chuckled while Kabuto grinned at her fierceness. "Now, now, Sakura-chan. No need for disrespect-"

"Screw off! No one was talking to you!"

His grin was wiped off and replaced with disbelief. Since when did she turn into a hot-tempered kunoichi?

"Well, girl, in a way...I am doing the world a favor," informed Orochimaru in a matter-of-fact tone.

"And what way is that," Kakashi asked.

The snake sannin cocked his head to the side, "Why should I tell you, hmm? So you can interfere? Kukuukuu. Don't you think you've done enough of that?"

"We could just take care of them now. That way they're out of the way for our future plans," Kabuto suggested while pushing his glasses up higher.

"No one is talking to you!" Sakura so kindly reminded.

Another growl escaped Naruto as he stood from his crater and stared at everyone, his eyes lingering on the group of shinobi near him. Kabuto took a step back incase he needed to avoid an attack. Kakashi and Yamato looked to each other, both knowing that they had to get Naruto under control before Orochimaru decided to attack as well. Razor fangs flashed towards them and four tails whipped wildly as Naruto crouched into a pouncing position. Kakashi knew that if they suffered an attack then it was over. An immortal snake was one thing...a normal shinobi would be like hot fire burning a leaf.

A burning chakra shook the ground as Naruto charged after Kakashi, Yamato and Sakura just as Orochimaru charged at them from behind. Sakura tore her gaze at the two charging shinobi, not sure what to do. She desperately wanted to run to Naruto, but Kakashi and Yamato were already focused on him...But Naruto need _her_-not Kakashi...right?

**Turn around! Turn around, dammit!!**Sakura spun just in time to catch Orochimaru raising a blade while he charged at Kakashi and Yamato's back. Pulling her own blade out, she met him in air, locking there blades in a spark worthy lock.

"Sakura!" Yamato called out over his shoulder.

"Help Naruto! I got this slimy bastard," she said as her lips curled into a snarl. Orochimaru grinned with yellow eyes as he leaned forward, knowing that she wouldn't step away from him when their blades where biting at each other. His breath fanned over Sakura's face as she narrowed her eyes, trying to think of a way to keep him focused on her...and to cut off his annoying tongue.

"Kukuuku, child, I don't think you know what you're getting into." His purple tongue pushed through thin lips to caress her cheek. Sakura turned her head away before summoning chakra to her hand.

"Don't underestimate me!" and with that she sent a fist into his unsuspecting jaw, sending him back into a tree; splintering it and having it collapse across the crumbled part of the bridge. As soon as wood hit wood, the bridge slowly gave way till there wasn't enough to hold the tree, making it fall into the river at the bottom of the ravine. Kabuto stared in shock at her strength and back to Orochimaru who clambered to his feet.

"Sssooo. Tsunade has become your mentor..." Orochimaru scanned the clearing, obviously in thought. By building up and releasing her chakra with precise timing, Sakura could easily decimate any obstacle and turn it to rubble. An opponent struck by her full strength could suffer from anything ranging from instant death, broken bones, ruptured organs, or any other wound associated with intense blunt force trauma, depending on how much chakra Sakura puts into the kick or punch. Who knew that this girl had potential? Why hadn't he known about it? Kabuto has never fail in getting information. Perhaps a late bloomer...

His thoughts where pushed back as Sakura charged at him again. He dodged her attack. Left, right, down, right, spin, right, back flip...jump. Finally she stopped and glared at his wide grin. Why couldn't she hit him?!

**He grew up with Tsunade, genius! Use something else!****  
**

Sakura smirked and held her sword out to her side. Inner-Sakura was right. She would show everyone, not just Orochimaru and Kabuto, but Kakashi and Yamato how much she had improved. With a glance over her shoulder, she saw Kabuto charging at Kakashi and Yamato who where using a technique to help Naruto. She had to make this quick.

She pushed chakra to her feet and charged after Kabuto. Orochimaru followed after her. If this didn't work, she was in trouble. Kabuto slid to a stop and turned at Sakura so now both Orochimaru and Kabuto where around her and charging. With practiced agility, she back flipped a few feet away and swept her sword horizontally in front of her while pushing chakra through the blade. Kabuto jumped back but was still slow and stumbled before catching himself, but Orochimaru just charged at her again.

Damn this wasn't her plan. Before she could do anything, he kicked her in the stomach, sending her back into the hard ground. Automatically she felt three ribs crush from the blow. "Sakura! Hold on!" Kakashi yelled out. The kyuubi was fighting the jutsu with everything he had to the point that a fifth tail was struggling to get out. With the fighting happening too close, Yamato was unable to focus completely.

Sakura didn't even have time to get up before a barrage of kunais hurtled towards her. She rolled away, but was stabbed in her shoulder and ankle. Kabuto didn't show any mercy as he kicked her down again as soon as she got to her feet. Again he sent another kick to her, but she poofed in a cloud. _Substitute!__  
_  
A few feet away, Sakura appeared and punched the ground, making Kabuto trip slightly before jumping away. Orochimaru appeared behind her, but she ran her forefinger along the blade of her sword-from hilt to tip- making it glow with a sharp pink chakra and holding the hilt with two hands. Just as he went to stab her, she disappeared before appearing behind him with her blade to her right side.

Orochimaru froze as a sudden force seemed to take hold of him. But the pressure immediately washed away and replaced by a painful gash across his torso. It wasn't deep, but enough for him to know that he had been underestimating the girl from what he had last seen of her... She really had improved. Kabuto didn't waste anytime in attacking her again. They were sent rolling into a hand to hand combat with occasional use of a chakra scalpel. Sakura received a cut across her upper left arm, earning Kabuto a round house kick to the jaw followed by a chakraless punch to the nose... Let's see how he likes that!

"Yamato! What's happening?" Kakashi questioned.

"My clone..." he said while trying to focus on his technique and his clone at the same time. "Sai is talking to Orochimaru's clone..."

Kakashi narrowed his eyes. This didn't make any sense. He shook his head. First thing was first. They had to help Naruto or they were all in trouble. What Sai was doing would have to wait. Sakura could fight agaist both of the Sound Shinobi... "Cut off your clone, we need to get Naruto under controll!" Yamato looked back at Kakashi's firm face and nodded.

Sakura gasped as her back hit a tree and the bark dug into her back. A punch was sent to her head but she ducked, blocked but missed the next one sent to her ribs. She bent forward and choked out blood as she held her sides. She had no idea that if you broke the white-haired man's glasses that he would be this pissed!

"Sakura-chan...Why did you have to do that?"

"...I didn't know you were going to throw a tantrum," she stated bitterly.

Kabuto narrowed his eyes and pulled her head up by the back of her hair. Blood coated her teeth as she glared heatedly at him. "Well, I have to say that you've grown into a fine kunoichi...Not even Tsunade had been able to hit me like that." He looked her up and down, sending a chill down Sakura's painful spine. "And you've trained your body to heal broken bones automatically. What a fine kunoichi indeed."

Sakura tried to punch him, but he grabbed her wrist and pushed her harder into the tree with his own body. "Back the fuck off!"

He only grinned and pushed himself harder against her. Orochimaru finally made his way to the duo. "Kabuto...I have to agree with her. You've never become this serious after a punch."

"...Hai." He didn't move-didn't tear his gaze away from Sakura.

Sakura held back a shiver from the cold gleam in the Medic's eyes and in the corner of her eyes she saw Orochimaru lean a shoulder against a nearby tree with his arms crossed in amusement. "What do you think you're doing? If you're going to fight me then get me away from this tree."

"..."

Sakura furrowed her brows. What where they going to do?

Kabuto smiled mockingly. A smile that told more then what Sakura wanted to know. She started to struggle, now becoming panicked. She knew that Kakashi and Yamato had just finished Naruto but She could now see Orochimaru's clone and Sai had just joined them...They had enough problems on their hands now and wouldn't be able to help her. Again she struggled, but she couldn't summon chakra to her left arm and her ankle was fractured. Same with her ribs which was better then when they where broken, but lets face it. All those attacks took a lot of chakra and the healing wasn't any less. Safe to say that she was getting in it deep.

"Let go, Kabuto!" She ordered while trying to knee him, but he simply pushed his own knee in between her legs to keep her from doing it again. He still had a hold of her hair and pulled it back farther, exposing her neck to the cold wind and his warm breath. "What do you think about me having my own apprentice?"

Orochimaru's grin only widened. "You mean to put a seal on the child?"

"Well, I wasn't planning on that, but obviously you where."

"Go screw yourself! I would never go along with it!" She exclaimed.

"Not even for Sasuke?" Orochimaru questioned.

Sakura sobered slightly and looked as close as she could towards the Sannin. "...After what he did and what _you_ are-Never."

"Well I think it's a good thing that we aren't asking..."

Sakura began to panic. Any other time she would call out for Naruto or Kakashi, but both where busy being unconscious and fighting Orochimaru...Damn it!!!

"Last chance! Let go!" Kabuto only chuckled as Orochimaru made his way to the kunoichi. He knew that she wasn't just some vessel. In a war, one of the best things to have was a smart and beautiful kunoichi for seduction missions against the enemy, a high level medic to save more lives so they could fight some again, and some one who could be molded to last until the new generation on Shinobi Nations...Who knew that the package was under his nose years ago. Of course she would be useless as a vessel, but that's why he had Sasuke.

Just as Orochimaru reached them , he bent his head to the crook of her neck while Kabuto watched happily and held her still. "Don't worry, Sakura-chan. It will hurt a lot, but I promise that I'll make it _all_ go away."

The sharp tips of two fangs touched her skin tauntingly and a new layer of fear pulsed through her skin...Suddenly a shadowy figure stood only a couple feet away...making Orochimaru freeze at the sound of the deep velvet voice.

"She obviously doesn't want to go with you."

Slowly, Orochimaru backed away to face the new arrival while Kabuto twisted Sakura to act like a shield. Emerald eyes widened at the sight of onyx hair, and crimson eyes with a waving cloak proudly possessing red clouds.

"Itachi..." Orochimaru addressed with a frown. "I didn't expect you to invite yourself along."

"Hn."

"Still so much to say and so little time...It's a shame."

"..."

"..."

"I've been his partner long enough to know that he doesn't like to repeat himself," said a deep, gruff voice from behind Kabuto. The said shinobi turned his head slightly behind him to see Samahada pointed at the back of his neck and a tall blue mist nin towering over him with a toothy grin.

Orochimaru glanced between the two Akatsuki before he grinned. Sakura watched nervously. How did she end up in the middle of all this?!

Not soon enough did Kakashi and Yamato arrive while taking there own place around the Sound-nin. "A party was issued and we didn't even know," Kisame said while looking at everyone at the clearing.

"Couldn't say we came prepared...Didn't even bring any food." Kakashi risked a glance at Itachi who met his gaze before looking back at Orochimaru.

"We aren't here for anything except Orochimaru," stated Itachi after reading Kakashi's suspicious red eye.

"Then we can call this a truce for the time being?" Kakashi clarified.

"Hai."

Orochimaru's grin slid into a frown. This wasn't going good for him. "Kabuto...Let the child go. We have plans to start."

The medic released Sakura's pink locks, but she angrily threw a punch into his jaw, causing him to stumble back before steadying himself with a hand on the tree.

"Damn, she's a little Hellcat," Kisame commented.

Orochimaru gave one last grin before disappearing in a poof. Shortly after, with a new bloody lip, Kabuto flashed Sakura a smirk and a wink before disappearing in a poof of smoke after Orochimaru.

Sakura sighed in relief and brought a hand to her sweaty forehead. She didn't know what just happened but she thanked any Kami out there for saving her ass. A hand gripped her shoulder, making her jump before looking up to Kakashi's worried face. "Are you alright? You're not hurt are you?"

Sakura gave a small smile. "I'm fine...What about Naruto?"

"Sai is keeping an eye on him... He's unconscious right now but his wounds are deep," explained Yamato. "Do you have enough reserve chakra to heal him?"

Sakura gave a firm nod and started to jog through the trees but paused to look back at the two missing nin. With a nod from Kakashi to go ahead, she sprinted to Naruto and Sai.

Kakashi turned back to Itachi with a hard gleam in his eye and a furrowed brow. "Why were you after Orochimaru?"

Itachi glanced at him through the corner of his eye. "I was curious to know what he was planning..."

"...Curiosity killed the cat." Yamato replied.

"Ignorance killed the cat. Curiosity was framed."

Kisame laughed while he teetered Samahada over his shoulder. "If it wasn't for us your little kitten would've been killed."

Kakashi and Yamato exchanged glances. "Do you know what Orochimaru is planning?"

"...He's preparing for an attack..." Itachi turned to face Kakashi.

"...An attack? Against who?"

"That's what we wanted to know--jeez and you're supposed to be smart," Kisame huffed.

"Wait. Why are you telling us this? Normally you wouldn't explain anything," Yamato reminded.

"Because Orochimaru had already attacked Akatsuki and obviously has more planned....We're heading for Konoha to speak with your Hokage."

"What?" Kakashi and Yamato said in disbelief. This wasn't what they wanted to hear at all.

**Well there you go! I promise to update soon so please review! It'll get the chapters up faster! Thank you for all that had reviewed before and the chapters will be longer from here on out! Please review!!!!!**


	4. Chances

**Hey there!!! We are ready to get this story going now! **

**Disclaimer…Don't own anything here except Ryuu.**

Tsunade rubbed her temples and sighed for the umpteenth time. Stress was a commonly used word to describe the kunoichi but today was an exception…It was an understatement. She was livid, pissed, angry, and everything in between. Of course this was obviously written all across her face but the two others in the room didn't take notice; knowing that she wouldn't dare hurt them.

Both elders stood in front of Tsunade's desk, one with cane in hand, the other grasping a chair. It had been a long thirty-two minutes and 46 seconds, but if this cursed meeting didn't end soon, someone would pay.

"It would be wise if you actually considered changing teams around and adding some shinobi from Root into them. This will strengthen our forces," ordered the old man who squinted ignorantly at the stubborn Hokage.

"And for the hundredth time, there is nothing wrong with the teams as they are. Just because Sai has been promoted doesn't mean that I will allow Danzou's students to run the teams operations. That's why we have the teams as they are," growled Tsunade.

"You are being foolish! Why do you refuse to use Root?"

"Why do you think it was band in the first place?!"

"…That was the past."

"And it will remain the same as long as I'm in charge!"

"Which won't be long if you continue building Konoha a bigger hole," promised the old woman darkly in a scratchy voice.

The blonde narrowed her eyes and pushed her chair back as she stood to her feet. In a low voice and a dark glare she said quietly, "If that is all then get out of my office."

Both elders looked to one another before turning towards the door. Only three steps later and the doors were slammed open, hitting the wall with a sickening crack as Tonton charged into the office, squealing fearfully. It skidded across the tile floor before hiding behind the heals of a dumbfounded Hokage. "What the…?"

She looked to the door but didn't wait long until the answer came. Scurrying in, in black heals herself, was none other then Shizune followed by a team of Anbu, lead by Ibiki who took long strides to stand between Tsunade and the elders.

"What the Hell is going on?" Tsunade asked.

"T-they're here," Shizune breathed in between pants. "They gave us…their word that it was f-for a meeting….and nothing else…"

"That's why we're here," Ibiki scoffed gruffly and turned to face the door. "Never take their word for anything except a lie."

Tsunade looked back and forth before the elders asked her unasked question. "Just who is it?"

There was no need to answer as two figures walked casually into the room with a soft rustle of their cloaks and a clip of high heals. Both elders' eyes widen through their usual squint and they both scurried near Tsunade's desk. Tonton squealed and leapt into Shizune's arms, shaking and shivering.

"…the hell?" Tsunade stayed standing and glared at the two new comers. "And what do I owe this…unexpected visit to?"

"Lady Tsunade," greeted the deep voice from the male. Orange spiky hair ruffled over Ame's forehead protector with a line through it. "Forgive this intrusion…But understand that this isn't what we had planned either."

"If you're after the nine-tailed then move along or expect a fight 'cause we aren't handing him over!"

"Calm yourself, Lady Tsunade," said the blue haired woman calmly. Her reply was a dark glare.

"We aren't after the nine-tailed-" The stoic man continued.

"And you expect us to believe that?" barked Ibiki added by a firm nod from Tsunade.

"…Hai. If you let me explain then there will be many explanations…and a deal that you may not want to pass off."

"And what, pray tell, do you have to prove that you aren't after Naruto?" Tsunade questioned.

"Nothing at the moment except an explanation as I said before."

"You are S-class criminals that are meant to be killed on contact," Ibiki said as if to prove a point.

"And yet here we stand before you alive and well," Pein backfired. "This meeting is an act of truce for the moment."

Tsunade glare lessoned into a wary gleam. She sighed and closed her eyes. "Fine," she waved a hand in the air. "Go ahead and take a seat."

Neither moved from their spot in front of the desk, only making Tsunade sigh. Konan knew that Pein wasn't one to listen…He hated being told what to do and even more, he hated being locked in a room with multiple shinobi who were ready to take them down. She didn't blame him. Of course he was much more at ease then she was… Though you couldn't tell on the outside.

Ibiki gave him another glare, but he still didn't budge. To Pein it was like Ibiki was sizing him up and he wouldn't back down from a game of pride. He was gambling with his own ego and life to worry about giving in. And he loved to gamble. "So, what's the deal? You're here to what—give me a complementary gift?"

"We are here to discuss…arrangements. Or agreements if you wish to call them such."

Tsunade furrowed her brows. "And how is that? What made you change your mind about the demons and why are you here?"

"This is on a friendly matter. Orochimaru. And assistance is needed," he answered.

"…"

"…perhaps you would feel better if we spoke leader to leader instead of leader to criminal?" He didn't wait for an answer as he untied his forehead protector and shrugged his cloak off his shoulders before handing them to Konan. "Take this as collateral if you still don't trust us," he said and placed the scroll on top of Tsunade's desk. She glanced at it, wondering what he meant by collateral. What was in the scroll that was so important to the leader of Akatsuki for him to use it as a bargaining chip?

"And you think that's going to change our minds?" snorted Ibiki.

"I only need to convince one of you to start the change reaction the will inevitably lead to the trust I want." Everyone stayed silent, trying to figure what he meant. "Isn't that right, Jiriaya?"

A chuckle alerted the others to the new presence from the doorway and in came the Sage with his arms crossed over his chest. Casually he walked to stand in front of Pein and both men stared at each other, neither blinking or flinching away. Finally Jiriaya turned to Tsunade, then Ibiki. "It'll probably be best outside the office…"

"I don't think so-"

"Aww, come on Ibiki…Are you saying you don't trust two legendary Sannin to take care of themselves?"

"…We'll be right outside the door," Ibiki reluctantly said-more to Pein and Konan then to anyone else.

"Yes, we will call you in if Lady Hokage gets a paper cut," Pein replied quietly earning a glare in the back of his head before the doors softly clicked to signal that they had the room alone. Tsunade sighed and looked over to the two elders who hadn't moved by her desk. Jiriaya leaned on the front of her desk, facing the two Akatsuki members, with his legs crossed. "Shizune?"

"Y-yes?"

"Take Tonton out…He's scared to death."

"…alright."

Everyone waited until she was out of the door until Pein and Konan finally took a seat in front of the desk. Tsunade looked between the two before taking a seat as well. "Ok…Start at the beginning."

"Only a few days ago, Orochimaru sent experiments from Sound to attack our base in River…"

"And that's a problem to us…how?"

"They were after the demons that were sealed away into the statue. Apparently Orochimaru wants them for something that would undoubtedly lead to an attack."

"…Against who?" Jiriaya asked.

"…Unknown at the moment."

"So you want us to…?"

"Assist. Or so…" Konan trailed off.

"What aren't you telling us?" Tsunade asked.

"Orochimaru wasn't alone with Sound experiments. He also had mentally ill shinobi from Mist with him. The attack was in two separate waves in numbers that matched the incident here two years ago at the Chunnin exams when he had attacked."

"…Why would he send all those shinobi after you?...That was a large part of an army that he could've used on another attack or so. Orochimaru is a smart man and wouldn't attack for no reason," Jiriaya mused aloud and shifted his weight.

"Another attack would have been inevitable if we stayed in the base," Konan replied.

"So Orochimaru is looking for power—nothing new," stated the elder woman. "Just because he targeted you doesn't mean that we'll help you—"

"Shut up," Tsunade hissed out to the elders. "Your job is to only listen because I'm forced to include you in these so shut up."

"You are forgetting that not only is Sound after the demons but so is Mist. If Orochimaru has an allied country then it is obvious that he is planning something," continued Pein.

"And for it to be Mist then it has to be big," Tsunade pondered.

"We are generally the target at this point but you as Konoha have had a history of attacks from him as well….That is what we are here to discuss."

*************************************************************************************

Deidara closed his eyes from where he sat in a branch just outside of Konoha's gates. It had been a long and heated travel since they had left River Country but nothing new for a missing-nin. His cloak hung open to allow the breeze to cool him as it sent noble leaves into a dance with leaf and twig. The shadows swayed across his face and he sighed in content. He loved the warmer weather and enjoyed the silence whenever he got the chance…Which was rare considering that Tobi was always near.

Speaking of which, where was the little monstrosity…? Cracking a cerulean eye open slightly, he gazed down at the base of the tree he was in. Still in the same position, Tobi sat cross legged while plucking flowers with a happy hum. Deidara rolled his eyes. Typical Tobi…Just how was that prick a criminal, he would never know.

"Fuck this! What are we waiting here for?!" Hidan's voice cut through the silence. "The stupid Leaf-nin aren't going to listen to us, so when the fuck is leader going to get out there?!"

Deidara held in a chuckle. Hidan's patience level was nearly the same as Danna's.

"Keh, will you shut up?" Kakuzu chastised. "We don't like listening to you."

"Fuck you!"

"**Hey, keep it down**." Zetsu said from his spot sitting against a nearby tree. "Some Anbu are going to hear you and then we'll have to deal with leader."

"Are you afraid of getting in trouble?" asked Hidan in a mocking voice.

"**You act tough when he isn't around **but as soon as he is then you're minding you manners…**For the most part**."

"Manners? Hidan has never heard of the word," Kakuzu added.

Deidara chuckled and pulled some clay into his lap. "Ain't it true?"

"Screw off! I don't need this shit," Hidan paced the forest floor in between the trees with his scythe over his shoulder. Tobi watched interestedly from where he sat.

"Don't be a baby, un," Deidara said from his seat earning a glare.

"No one was talking to you!"

"Are you throwing a tantrum now, hm?"

Hidan growled and turned to the tree. "That's it! I'm going to sacrifice your ass!"

He pulled his scythe to his side and swung at the tree, hitting it only inches from Tobi's head.

"Aaaaahhhhhhh!! Tobi's a good boy! Tobi's a good boy!" he yelled and crawled away with his flowers in hand. Hidan paid no attention as he swung away at the tree with Deidara holding onto the branch.

"Hey! Hidan what the hell?! It was a joke, yeah!" Deidara exclaimed.

Hidan stopped and looked up the tree. An evil grin crossed his face. "Hey, Dei, look at your face!" he pointed. "You really are a fucking pansy!"

Deidara's shocked expression turned feral. "I'll show you pansy, un!" He stood to his feet and reached into his clay pack before sending a bird in his direction.

"You guys need to stop," Kakuzu ordered from where he stood next to Zetsu.

His warning only fell on deaf ears as Hidan dodged the bird and threw a kunai, catching Deidara's cloak and sticking him to the tree. Hidan chuckled and pointed a finger but stopped when Deidara's famous crooked grin curled his lips. With a hand sign, he said cockily, "Katsu."

Hidan looked down just in time to see clay spiders around his feet before an explosion sent him flying past Zetsu, Kakuzu and Tobi into a tree. Slowly he clambered and climbed to his feet with a sour expression as Deidara laughed from where he still stood stuck to the tree and Kakuzu shook his head.

Just as Hidan opened his mouth to retort, he stopped as two familiar chakras entered the clearing. "About fucking time," he said as Itachi and Kisame walked to them. "What took you so damn long?"

"Keh, nice to see you too," Kisame said with a toothy grin.

"Well isn't this a nice welcome home," said a new voice behind the two Akatsuki. Walking into the clearing was Kakashi, Yamato and Sai, followed by a silent Naruto and Sakura.

"…the fuck?"

"What are they doing here, un?!" Deidara growled out as he glared at Kakashi, Naruto and Sakura.

"Us?! What about you?!" Naruto yelled and pointed an accusing finger at the blonde. "You killed Gaara!"

"Yeah and I heard he lived so what's it to you, un?" Deidara pulled the kunai out and jumped to the ground.

"Why you bastard--"

"Naruto, calm down," Kakashi ordered in a firm voice. The last thing Kakashi wanted was to play peacemaker…Sadly he knew that was exactly what was going to happen.

Naruto sobered and bent his head, still ashamed of what happened at the bridge. There was a thick and awkward silence that layered the clearing.

"Ano…Why are we waiting here?" Sakura asked, turning everyone's attention to her.

****************************************************************************

"We want to make an alliance."

Tsunade stared expressionless at the statement.

Pein continued after letting it sink in. "You will have Akatsuki as well as Amegakure's loyalty to in what I fear to be another Shinobi War."

"…" Tsunade folded her hands and leaned forward onto her desk. "You expect us to just welcome you into Konoha where we just happen to have the last Demon you need? Do you take me as a fool?"

"That scroll there on the desk is proof enough that I am sincere."

Tsunade looked to the scroll then back at Pein and Konan then to Jiriaya who stared at the scroll. Furrowing her brows she slowly reached for the scroll before giving one last wary glance at the others and opening it. Her breathing hitched and her eyes widened.

"T-this is the seal…You sealed all of the demons in here?"

"Hai." Pein stood and walked to the front of her desk. "You hold the eight demons that we have sealed away…Is that proof enough?"

"…"

Suddenly the doors opened and in rushed in the number one knuckle head. "Hey granny!" Naruto greeted but stopped at the sight of Pein and Konan. "Who are you?"

"Naruto, what do you think you're doing?! Don't you know that if the door is closed then--" She stopped in mid-sentence as Kakashi, Sakura, Yamato and Sai walked in followed by the fellow Akatsuki members.

"Well this is a great reunion," Jiriaya whispered to Kakashi who walked next to him. The white-haired shinobi sighed and leaned against the wall with his hands stuffed into his pockets.

"Not an over all idea of a party, but I'm sure Tsunade will have one hell of a hang over tomorrow."

The look on Tsunade's face didn't go unnoticed by the pink-haired medic who quickly grabbed a hidden bottle of Sake and rushed to her mentor's side.

The busty blonde's eyes widened and she eagerly took the bottle before having a long gulp and sitting back with a content sigh. "Thank you Sakura."

"No problem…"

"Is it ok to give her a drink at a meeting like this?" Kisame asked.

"Trust me when I say that the meeting will go a lot smoother…," Naruto whispered.

"…"

"Keh, hey leader—why don't you fucking drink at meetings?" Hidan asked, but immediately wished he hadn't and mumbled a quick "sorry" after the heated glare of daggers aimed at him. Deidara snickered under his breath at Hidan earning an elbow from Kakuzu.

"So I suspect that you've been filled in?" Tsunade asked to Kakashi and Yamato.

"Hai…Itachi and Kisame had explained everything," commented Yamato.

Pein turned to the Uchiha. "Have you found out anything?"

"Hai…After we left the base, we ran into Orochimaru and Kabuto. They were disappointed that they hadn't retrieved the demons."

"Retrieved?"

"Hai. Orochimaru had said that "Ryuu will be disappointed." I believe that Orochimaru has someone else other then Mist with him…"

"They also said something about getting more allies for the time being," Kisame added.

A passing moment of silence came and went. "I will need a scroll for the written arrangements," Tsunade said reluctantly to the elders.

"No. You will not be allied with these criminals!" the elder woman sworn.

"I have a room full of S-class ninja and myself saying different," Tsunade growled out.

The elders looked to all the faces pointed towards them before handing the hokage a scroll. "Alright. The agreements are going to take place now and we will both need to make sacrifices."

"Agreed." Pein turned to his men. "Wait outside." Everyone walked out with their own mumbles except for Kakashi, Yamato and Jiriaya.

"Well we can see that you are at the end of your hole, Lady Tsunade…Congratulations, you have buried Konoha under your ignorance." With that said, the elder man and women hobbled out into the hall way before slamming the door shut.

Ignoring the comment, Tsunade sat down, ready to write down the agreements. "Jiriaya…what do you think?"

The sannin looked to Tsunade for a moment then to Pein. "I don't think that keeping Akatsuki going will be wise…And keeping the scroll here in Konoha could lead to more problems…"

"Lady Tsunade…if I could suggest something," Kakashi asked. Tsunade gave a nod. "Allow Pein-san to keep the scroll in his possession and in exchange, we will…trade shinobi…"

"Trade?" Konan asked.

Tsunade mulled over the suggestion for a moment. "That would work." She looked to Konan to explain. "When we first became allies with Suna, we traded a few shinobi to show our trust."

"So you wish to take some of our Rain-nin?"

"I was actually thinking about some Akatsuki members…" Kakashi said with an eye crinkle.

Konan gave a wary look to Pein who seemed to have already come to the conclusion. "Perhaps…"

"Perhaps what?"

"We will map out our bases for your shinobi to use, but they are only to be used by the most trusted. Of course with the sudden attacks, I feel that Akatsuki will need a single place to stay. I can't afford to lose any more members so will you allow most—if not—all of them to stay here?"

"…..You would allow that?"

"Hai."

"…Very well. Then I feel that it would be best if we split them into some of our teams."

"Now I disagree. I put them into teams based on their strength and weaknesses, not to mention their tolerability level."

"But if we split some of them up then it would strengthen more of our teams." Kakashi explained.

"How so?" Konan questioned.

"…We would have more teams with stronger members then the pairs that they are in now…"

"How would you suggest we do this then?" Pein asked. "Deidara, Kisame, Hidan and Kakuzu will kill anyone who pisses them off. Zetsu will have to eat and is best alone incase he gets…hungry. Itachi doesn't work well with anyone unless he respects them and Tobi will undoubtedly go on a rampage around Konoha…"

"…"

"Are you suggesting that they are best with each other?" Yamato asked.

"Hai and that they work best in pairs…More then that and they get…testy."

"Then we will both have to cope with the new arrangements…" Tsunade began. "Of course you and Konan will be in Ame with each other so that leaves everyone out in the hall…"

"Kakuzu will need a level headed partner. Someone who won't piss him off and they should get along," Konan pondered.

"Perhaps Tenten's team?" Kakashi suggested.

"No teams." Pein reminded.

"Right….Then Tenten and Neji would suffice for Kakuzu."

"Are you sure? Remember it would be their funeral if you weren't."

Kakashi sweat dropped. "Yeah…I'm sure."

"Fine, Tenten, Neji and Kakuzu…who else?" Tsunade said as she wrote it down.

"Are there any higher ranked teams that need a member?" Jiriaya asked.

"There are but the rookie 11 are more apt to adjusting easier and not holding a grudge then any other teams out there so we'll stick with them," she explained.

"Then Hinata is too shy, Shino is too…quiet and Kiba is too loud and will surely cause a fight. They can stay together." Kakashi said

"The Lee will need to be placed somewhere…" Yamato trailed off.

"We'll worry about him later. What about Hidan?" Tsunade pushed.

Pein sighed. "He has a foul mouth and sacrifices people for his belief in Jashin. He'll need someone who can tolerate him as well as keep his respect."

Jiriaya and Kakashi exchanged grins. They knew just who to pick. "Yamanaka Ino."

Tsunade looked at the two men. "What?"

"She'll put him in his place—"

"And have his respect as soon as he sets his eyes on her," Jiriaya said while he wiggled his eyebrows suggestively. Tsunade's eyebrow twitched, but she knew that they had a point. "Fine, Ino and Hidan."

"And Zetsu with Shikamaru," added Yamato. Konan and Tsunade stared at the three men.

"You're having fun with this aren't you?" Konan asked skeptically.

All she got in reply was three grins.

"Why Shikamaru?"

"Well if Zetsu get's hungry then Shikamaru's shadow jutsu will work on keeping him under control if it's needed," Yamato explained.

"Makes sense." Tsunade looked down to the list. "Who else?"

Pein shifted his weight. "Itachi, Kisame, Tobi, Deidara."

"Well…I suppose I will take Tobi…" Kakashi said slowly while rubbing the back of his head. He cried inwardly. As if he needed someone to make him feel older…

Tsunade held back a snicker. "Great!" She quickly wrote it down before Kakashi came to his senses.

"Kisame will cut anyone he doesn't like in half." Konan sat back in her chair.

"Then he will stay with Itachi for the time but what about Deidara?"

"He…could go with Sai….Never mind." Yamato quicky said.

"Naruto."

Everyone looked to Jiriaya who explained. "Naruto has matured a lot, even if it doesn't seem like it. Trust me that they'll get along sooner or later."

"Then they'll work out and all we have is Itachi and Kisame," Pein said from his spot looking out the window of the office.

"….That's a little tricky…" Yamato said.

"Sakura will work fine with them," Kakashi said quietly.

"Sakura?" Konan asked.

"Hai. The girl that was in here a moment ago."

"Are you sure that she'll work well with them?" Pein asked.

No sooner had he asked that did a "CHA!!" echo through the hall and office walls. Suddenly a body came crashing through the wall next to the door before hitting against the other side of the wall. Everyone in the office looked to the body that stood from the debris of the crumbled wall. Dusting off his cloak, Hidan stood and glared at the pink-haired woman who matched his glare from the hole in the hallway.

Naruto's head suddenly popped in the hole with a grin. "I forgot to mention not to call her a whore either…"

"Son of a bitch!" Hidan growled out and a laughter was heard next to Naruto who they found out to be Deidara and Kisame.

"You got your ass handed to you, un!!"

"Deidara—Hidan. Get out." Pein said darkly. Seconds later they were left back alone with a gaping hole in the wall.

Pein turned back to Tsunade who smirked. "Does that answer your question?"

**Tadaaa!!!! There you go. Kinda boring but keh. It had to be done. Nest time will be interesting…I wonder how everyone will take to the knew teams…**

**Please review!**


	5. My dear insanity

**Hi ya!!! Sorry I haven't updated sooner!!! I broke my nose and fractured my cheek bone so I could only sit and work a little at a time. I've had a killer headache and my computer is reeeaaaally bright! **

**Ugh…I hate doing chapters with ALL the characters! I always feel like I'm forgetting some one…--shrugs- -Oh well.**

_flashback/thoughts_

**Inner Sakura**

**Disclaimer….Don't claim ownership of anything except the plot…Because I DIDN'T kill Itachi!!! :p**

Sakura looked throughout the training grounds. Soft grass lined the forest ground near the three post that held more memories then she could believe.

Team 7 training grounds….Like Team 7 red bridge….

Sakura shook her head. How strange…Team 7 seemed to have many things and yet they weren't even a full team.

Her thoughts turned to Naruto who for once stood silently beside her in the open. He had grown so much over the past years, and not just in height. His skill level had definitely improved and he had even matured in his own way…Note that it is said in his own way.

His goofy nature was still there along with maturity…Who would've thought that Sakura would see the day that he would act his age?

"Hey Sakura-chan! Have you read Ero-sensia's books? Well don't because it's completely pointless…But," he said after a while, completely oblivious to Sakura's dry look. "There were some interesting positions…Like you put a girl on her stomach and her leg—"

"Naruto!!!"

--PUNCH—

Naruto was suddenly thrown onto his face with his feet in the air with Sakura behind him clenching her fist. "I can't believe you're so immature, you baka!"

"Eh…" Naruto flipped back up right and sat with his legs sprawled out and tending to his red cheek. "What do you expect? I've been with Ero-sensei for two years…"

"I don't care! Keep that stuff to yourself, you pervert!"

Sai watched the interaction with the same grin as he approached them. "What did dickless do now?"

Sakura blinked and looked to the new voice. "Oh, hey Sai. What took you so long? You're normally here early."

"I ran into the other teams."

"Other teams? Are they training too?" Naruto questioned as he joined them.

"…they said they were coming here."

Sakura furrowed her brows and looked at Naruto then back at Sai. "Here? But Kakashi said that we were meeting here for training. Why would the others be coming here?"

Sai just shrugged.

Suddenly, a large amount of chakra's alerted the teams' attention to the new arrivals. The entire rookie teams casually walked into the clearing to join Sakura, Sai and Naruto.

"Hey forehead!" greeted Ino as she rushed to Sakura followed by Tenten and Hinata. "What's going on?"

"I have no idea…What are you guys doing here?" Sakura asked.

Rock Lee and Neji followed by Shikamaru went to stand with Naruto and Sai while Kiba went to stand with Shino and Akamaru near one of the posts.

"It seems like we're going to train together…how troublesome."

"Aw, don't be like that," Naruto drawled out with his foxy grin.

"Yeah! Where's your youthful spirit?!" Lee yelled out.

Shikamaru rolled his eyes, "Back at home…in bed like I should be."

"You know the early bird gets the worm…you can't always sleep in," Ino called out next to Sakura.

"The early bird gets the worm but the early worm gets eaten…" He stuffed his hands in his pockets and leaned against a tree.

Neji smirked and closed his eyes. "You're views on life surprise me sometimes."

Shikamaru just shrugged while he listened to Naruto and Lee talk about their training from the past two years.

"Hey guys…" Choji waved as he joined everyone in the clearing. "So where are our sensei's?"

"They said that they weren't coming…" Tenten answered.

"Y-yeah…T-they said that K-kakashi could handle it." Hinata added.

"Eh?" Kiba trotted over with Akamaru. "Where is he anyway?"

Naruto huffed and crossed his arms. "Don't wait up for him. He'll be here in a few hours."

"Don't exaggerate, Naruto," Ino harped.

"Seriously…Naruto's right." Sakura defended, confirmed by Sai's nod.

This brought out multiple groans.

**********************************************************************

Not too far away in Konoha were a large group of ninja. Seven wore their usual attire with red clouds while they followed the Hokage and Jiriaya through the early waking streets. It was silent for the most part, no one sure what was going on. All they had heard from Pein and Konan after the meeting was that they were going to stay in Konoha for the time until other arrangements where made…No doubt this caused for a slight up roar between the criminals that inevitably led to an angry Leader.

But long story short, rules were to follow Konoha laws…Unless orders from Hokage or Leader-sama them self.

Easy enough rules but some didn't find it quite that simple…

"So where the fuck are we going? I don't like following this bitch around like a dog—" Hidan said followed by a punch sent him flying backwards.

Kisame winced as Hidan skidded along the concrete before being roughly dragged up by the collar of his cloak. "If you plan to live here—and I mean LIVE—then you better stop calling me a bitch!" exclaimed Tsunade.

Hidan blinked before jerking himself from her grip. "I'm immortal—what makes you think I would be fucking afraid of you?"

Tsunade's eyebrow twitched. "I'll show you---!"

"Tsunade—please!" Jiriaya warned as he intercepted the raging blonde and soon to be victim. "Let him adjust and if he still doesn't learn then we'll have Sakura handle him for you."

"Wait—" Hidan said as he walked calmly to the fuming blonde's side. "You mean the pink haired girl? Fuck no! I'm not going near that heathen!"

"Then it would be best if you didn't push your luck," promised Tsunade darkly before she turned and started towards the training grounds again.

Deidara snickered at the scowling Hidan, earning him an elbow in the ribs by Kakuzu before they followed.

"Tobi's a good boy! Tobi will follow all the rules, Ms. Scary Lady!" Tobi bounced happily.

Jiriaya sweat dropped and stared at the happy criminal. "You're going to get it…." He warned.

Tobi stopped and looked to Jiriaya with a tilted head. "Get what? Tobi's going to get a present?"

Tsunade resisted smacking herself in the forehead. What was wrong with these men?! They made Naruto look like a saint!

"Noooo, you're going to get in trouble."

Tobi gasped. "Why?!! Tobi's a GOOD boy!! He is, really!"

"Why don't you just shut up, un," Deidara said as he rolled his cerulean eyes. "You're annoying everyone…again, yeah."

"--Gasp—But Senpai!!! How could you say that?! Tobi picked everyone flowers!"

"…."

"…."

"…."

"…."

"…Did Tobi say something?" he asked innocently.

Sigh.

"We're almost there so just be quiet!" Tsunade exclaimed.

There was a mere 15 seconds of silence before….

"How much money are we going to get on missions?"

Twitch…_I'm going to lose it…._

"And is there a limit on Sake?"

Twitch—twitch…_Just breathe…Shizune has a bottle of Sake ready for you when this is all finished…_

"And I like to eat at certain times a day…**I hate having to wait…"**

_Just breathe, girl….you don't have to deal with them too much longer….Just think happy thoughts…Like unlimited sake…_

"Tobi wants to meet lots of friends!"

_Happy thoughts…Like no annoying Tobi…_

"Where can I practice my art, yeah?"

_No more disrespecting jerk-offs…._

"And how am I going to work this fucking sacrificing deal out?"

"..." Tsunade's clips of heals stopped abruptly and she spun around, pig tails spinning, to look at the following men with hands on hips; all men froze behind her expecting another explosion from the hot-tempered kunoichi. Amber eyes searched right to the Uchiha who looked back at her calmly. "What?! You don't have anything to say?! 'Cause if you do then spit it out!!!"

"…Hn."

"…" Tsunade gave him a skeptical look. "Nothing?"

He stared back at her with the same emotionless expression. After a moment he answered, "…I'll meet you there." Calmly he walked around Kisame and Kakuzu then around the confused hokage and continued down the street towards the training grounds. Everyone stared at the back of Itachi in silence.

"Damn…" Hidan said after a moment. "You really are bitchy if Uchiha left you behind—"

--Punch—

Jiriaya shook his head sadly. "You just don't get it…"

**************************************************************

"How much longer?!" Ino asked from her spot kneeling next to Hinata.

"I'm telling you he won't show up for a few hours…" Sakura sighed irritably. She leaned against the left post and stared at the large stone in front of her.

MIA…Those three letters sure had an impact on the ninja society…even more on the ever missing white haired shinobi that was supposed to be here. _Keh, right now he's MIA,_ Sakura thought dryly.

"I don't know why you can't just relax and enjoy a break from training," added Shikamaru who lay a few feet from them with hands behind his head. "It's better then having to work our butts off."

Ino huffed and chose not to say anything. But that didn't mean anything to Naruto.

"Hey! We should just start training now. Like we can make our own teams and have some spars," suggested the happy blonde.

"T-that sounds l-like fun," Hinata commented slowly.

"Why can't we just go get something to eat while we wait," Choji questioned as he walked over to where Naruto, Shikamaru and the girls were.

"Like ramen!!"

Sakura sighed. It was bad enough that she always had to wait for Kakashi already, but now she was forced to listen to everyone complain about it…Sigh.

"I vote for us to start training now," Tenten said as she started to stretch.

"Let's not and say we did," Shikamaru sighed.

"Come on! Where's your youthfulness, Shikamaru?!"

"I, for once, agree with him," Neji said as he walked to the group with arms crossed. "We've been training non-stop…perhaps we should just say we did for once."

Sakura looked to the stoic nin. "That's not like you to not train." This earned her an elbow from Tenten. Looking over to the brunette, Sakura held back a giggle from Tenten's blush. **Hehe…Tenten and Neji were going to have a date! **Inner Sakura squealed happily.

"Well I don't know about you guys, but I'm out of here," Kiba stated and got up to leave.

"That won't be necessary…" said a new voice.

All eyes turned to the source in the tree to see Kakashi sitting on a branch with his faithful book out.

"Hey!" Naruto pointed. "How long have you been there?!"

Kakashi gave an eye crinkle. "For a few minutes…." He jumped down to the ground and placed his book safely into his jounin vest. "Sorry I was late…You see there was an old lady that—"

"Save it, " Sakura said as she stood up and walked to him with all eyes on her. Just as she reached him, she calmly looked up to see the shinobi's confused expression before roughly grabbing him by the vest collar and pulling him to her level. "What were you thinking?! You left me alone here with everyone complaining about how you were late! I don't care if a black cat crossed your path or you got lost on the road to life—Next time all the teams are going to be here, then show up on time!"

Everyone sweat-dropped and Kakashi straightened up with an eye crinkle. "Ok…I'm sorry—really."

"Why are we all here to train?" Neji asked as he stepped forward.

Kakashi seemed to ponder it for a moment. "Well. It's not really "training". More like a chance to get to know one another…without walls or buildings being destroyed."

"Huh?" Naruto so intelligently asked. "We all know each other though!"

Kakashi chuckled. "You'll understand soon enough." As if on cue a group of strong chakras made itself known, turning every one's attention to the path.

"WHAT THE HELL?!" yelled, Naruto, Kiba, and Ino as they caught sight of the black cloaks and red clouds.

"Calm yourselves and I will explain," stated Tsunade as she stopped next to Kakashi with a hand on her hip. "As you may have heard, the Akatsuki were here for a meeting…Because of certain circumstances we have made an alliance with them as well as Amegakure. As a sign of trust, the members are now part of Konoha and will stay like that until other wise…"

Silence….

Tsunade sighed. At least there wasn't an angry mob forming.

"So," Kakashi said with a forced grin under his mask, hoping to keep it somewhat peaceful. "Now that they are with us…we have rearranged the teams—"

"WHAT?!" yelled members from both sides of the clearing.

An uproar of insults and profanities went up, mostly from Hidan, Deidara and Kisame from one side with Naruto, Neji, Ino, and Kiba from the other.

"Well this is going great…" Jiriaya whispered to Kakashi who sighed.

"Who's idea was it to mix teams again…"

Tsunade' brow twitched. She was definitely on the verge to make some heads roll very soon…"SHUT UP!"

Silence.

"Listen here and listen good! I will not tolerate arguments—"

"But, granny—"

"Naruto…Shut up," she said at a near whisper, silencing the blonde. "As I was saying, no arguments. That's what the elders are for. The teams _have been_ split up and only the following names are excused to leave." Jiriaya handed her a paper and she paused slightly before reading it. "Hinata, Kiba and Shino…you are still a team and will stay the same." Each nodded to show that they understood. "Choji, Sai and Lee, you are now on a team."

Choji looked to Sai and Lee who both looked back. Shrugging to himself he took a handful of the last of chips in his bag and stuffed it in his mouth. If he could handle Ino, then Sai and Lee were no problem.

"Those six can leave now." Each person took the hint and grabbed their kunai pouches before walking out of the clearing. "Good luck," Hinata whispered to Sakura and the others before rushing after Kiba and Shino.

Everyone waited silently until the six had left the clearing before Tsunade turned back to the others. "Now the reason why we are in the training grounds is because respect is obviously going to be part of the adjustments. I will name off a new team and allow you to work out any differences here and now. After all the teams are…acquainted then you may return to your new apartments—"

"Apartments?" Neji asked.

"Hai," Jiriaya answered. "It was agreed that all teams will learn to live with each other. We don't want grudges or biased opinions to affect the team's effort and therefore you will learn to get along as a family, so to speak."

"That's bull! They're criminals not our family!" Ino stated angrily.

"They are now your equals!" Tsunade growled out.

"Tobi's a good boy!" jumped the cheerful masked man. All the cloaked figures sweat-dropped before Deidara hit Tobi over the back of the head and hissed, "Shut up, yeah. You're embarrassing!"

"As I was saying they are now our allies and your team mates," Jiriaya continued.

"And how do you expect us to tell our families? They won't like this at all." Neji questioned heatedly.

Amber eyes turned to the brunette. "I've already taken care of it. They were informed by ANBU as soon as you had left this morning and they aren't happy, but they understand that it is for the best of Konoha."

"What is going on?" Sakura asked. "Is there….something bad?"

Tsunade's hard glare softened. "Yes, Sakura…There is a shadowing of another Shinobi War…perhaps the biggest yet…." She explained grimly.

There was a short but tense silence before Kakashi continued with the explanations. "For the first week or two, there will be Anbu teams that are to keep an eye on each team. If there are any problems then they will interfere and you will have a punishment that will be assigned."

"Like what?" Tenten asked.

"Like community service." Tsunade grinned evilly. Displeased groans from both sides were her answer. It was obvious that no one wanted any part of that.

"How do you know that they aren't tricking you so they can get Naruto," Shikamaru asked.

"The leader made a truce in blood as well as myself. They also tried to hand over the seal that contained all the gathered demons so far and therefore they are making an effort to side with us. We can and will do the same for them."

"Is Gaara ok with this," asked tempered blonde.

"Yes, Naruto, Gaara has agreed to this fully."

Everyone seemed to mull over there own thoughts as Tsunade let it sink in before she continued. "Now that, that's done let's get to the teams."

"Let's have all rookie members stand on one end with Akatsuki on the other," guided Kakashi.

Every one hesitated before following the directions and mumbles were heard from both sides.

"Ok the first new team is Neji and Tenten…" she paused to allow them to step forward, "with Kakuzu."

Hidan snickered at the match up and Kakuzu's displeased twitch. "Shut up, idiot," he hissed before hitting the back of the sadist's head.

"What the fuck?!"

"Eh-hem," Tsunade tapped her foot. Kakuzu obediently walked to the equally displeased Neji and slightly nervous Tenten. Both brunettes stared at the tall masked man who stared back…

Silence…

Not even a cricket was heard….

"Awkward," Ino whispered to Sakura who nodded in agreement.

With neither side saying or making a move, Tenten sighed and swallowed her pride. With as cheerful of a smile, she held out her hand. "Nice to meet you on…not fighting terms…hehe."

Kakuzu glanced at the hand and hesitated before shaking it. "…yeah…you to." Confused was obviously a word to describe him at the moment. It was a rare occasion indeed to be addressed in a domestic way. All he knew after all was to fight.

All three walked to stand away from the line up by the three posts; Neji never taking his eyes off of the tall man.

"Right then…" Tsunade inwardly jumped in joy. That was a lot smoother then she thought and not a single fist was sent flying… "Next team is," she spoke too soon… "Ino and Hidan."

Ino blinked and looked at the line up to see Hidan meet her gaze. "Keh, I get the hot bitch Kakuzu!"

"Bitch…" Ino said slowly as if the word was foreign to her. "Bitch…" Every one scurried away from the soon to be disaster. "BITCH?!"

"Ooooh, not you too!" Hidan smacked himself in the forehead. What was wrong with these women?! All the women he met in other villages didn't care if he called them bitch, cunt, whore, slut, skank, wench…well you get the point…Then again they were normally all those things…Strange. Sadly for our sadist, he was temporarily too lost in thought to see a flying kunai flying towards his head.

Bingo! It made its mark!

He was sent on his back while he stared blankly at the sky for a moment.

"Noooo! Hidan's hurt!" Tobi yelled frantically.

"Uh-oh…" Ino said slowly. "I killed my partner!"

"Great job, Ino," Shikamaru said sarcastically. "There go our allies, how troublesome."

"What?! I didn't mean to kill him! H-he shouldn't have called be a bitch!" she defended through her panic state.

"I agree with Ino," Sakura huffed.

Suddenly Hidan sat up and pulled the kunai from his head before glaring at the panicking blonde. "Hey! I'm not fucking dead, you stupid bitch!"

Ino blinked and looked back to the white haired man who stood to his feet and stomped towards her. "What? How are you alive?"

"First thing you gotta know—I'm fucking immortal!" he yelled in her face.

"Don't fucking scream in my face!"

"Like this?!"

"Yes you son of a bitch!"

"Fuck you!"

"No-- Fuck you!"

"I call the Fucks around here!"

"Think again Bastard!"

"Motherfucker!"

"I know you are but what am I?!"

"That was fucking childish!"

"Cocksucker!"

"At least I fucking have a dick!"

"I don't want one you gay bastard!"

"I'm not gay you fucking wench!"

"You live with at least seven guys! Where do you get sex?!"

"From fucking whores like you!"

"I'm not a fucking whore! I'm still a virgin!"

Blink—blink. "Blondie's a virgin?" He looked her up and down before a devious grin set in. "You're a damn liar."

"Am not!"

"…"

"…"

"…"

"…"

"…"

"…ooookkkaay." Tsunade drawled out while Jiriaya scribbled away next to her in his notebook, no doubt for his next book. With that thought in mind, Kakashi peeked over the Sannin's shoulder to look over at the notes, but Jiriaya hid it away inside his pocket and looked back with a devious grin.

"Not yet, Kashi…"

"Are you two done?" Tsunade asked at Ino and Hidan.

"I'm fucking done."

"Good! I'm glad I made my point!"

"Fuck! You didn't make any point, bitch!"

"Says you! Why don't you go jerk off with some guy?!"

"I'm not fucking gay!"

"And I'm not talking to you!"

"What was that?"

"I said I'm not talking to you!"

"Ha! You fucking just did!"

Ino growled and stomped her foot. "Shut up!"

"Damn, whatever!"

"Hmph! Not talking!

"Fine!"

"Fine!"

"…"

"…"

"…riiiigght." Kakashi said.

Naruto snickered to himself…Damn was Kiba missing out!

"The next team," Tsunade said after she cleared her throat. "Is Zestu and Shikamaru."

Shikamaru stepped forward to the plant man and stuffed his hands into his pockets. "How troublesome."

"I couldn't agree more…**You said it." **

"Well, it's nice to be on the same side," Shikamaru said as they walked to join the other new teams.

"K then. Next team is…." Tsunade took a deep breath, preparing for another explosion. "Naruto and Deidara."

Both blondes locked blue eyes and glared. "No way, un! I'm not going with him!"

"I agree! Believe it!"

Jiriaya sighed and stepped to Naruto who crossed his arms stubbornly over his chest. "Now Naruto, you don't want to be with him because he killed Gaara, right?"

He gave a firm nod.

"But Gaara has forgiven him. Don't you think you can too?"

"Yeah. You and Gaara are like best friends…Remember that Gaara had tried to kill me? We'll work on this together!" Sakura encouraged.

Naruto looked to the ground and then to meet Sakura's smile. "I'll…try."

"Great then!" Jiriaya said as he returned to Tsunade's side.

Deidara stubbornly didn't look to Naruto who looked back questioningly to Sakura. "He likes art," she whispered. She remembered how it was to connect to Sai was through art. "Tell him that you can show him around and where all the art stores are…"

Naruo frowned slightly and walked to the stubborn blonde. With a hand rubbing the back of his neck, he looked to the ground with a scowl. "I can show you around later…You know….Where all the art places are."

Deidara blinked and looked to Naruto. "Don't worry about it, un. I don't want you to try and be my friend, only my partner," and with that said he pushed past Naruto and to the other teams.

Sakura sighed. Looks like she would be helping everyone adjust…

"Next is—"

"Does Tobi get a partner?! Tobi wants to meet new people!" he yelled next to Kisame.

"Yeah-yeah…"Tsunade pinched the bridge of her nose stressfully. "You're going with Kakashi-"

"Yay!! Tobi's going with the white man!" he ran over to Kakashi who forced a grin.

"Glad you're excited…"

"Tobi's a good boy! Tobi will pick you flowers later!"

"Uh…that's…nice," he said in uncertainty.

"Anyway, the last is…" Tsunade blinked and looked from Sakura to Kisame. "Where's Uchiha?"

"Here," came the emotionless voice. Every stared at the new comer who walked to stand next to Kisame.

"Where have you been?"

Dark black eyes looked to Amber. "I took a walk…"

"…whatever. You two and Sakura are a team now."

The pink haired kunoichi furrowed her brows, but after a hard glare from Tsunade, she sighed and stepped forward. Kisame slung his sword over his shoulder and held out a hand with a toothy grin. "Nice to meet ya, as a partner."

Sakura gave a small smile and took his hand. "Like wise."

"Keh, you've got a firm grip. I like that," he winked.

They released their hands and Sakura unwillingly turned to Itachi who stared back.

Emerald eyes glared. This was the man that was responsible for Sasuke's pain…He was the one that killed his own family…No matter how much he looked like Sasuke, she knew that they were completely different.

But as she stared at him, her glare softened. What changed her hostility was a clouded, almost like a film over his dark eyes…_He's going blind…_

"It's a pleasure to be paired with Lady Tsunade's apprentice," came his deep voice that shook her from her observations.

Sakura unintentionally, blinked back what was left of her hard glare. What he said was no doubt sincere…

"Alright…Each of you have a new address and all your belongings are already there," Tsunade said as Jiriaya and Kakshi passed out slips of paper with the address of the new apartments. "You may leave now and be sure to _try_ and not fight." She turned to Sakura. "I'll need to talk to you alone for a moment."

The kunoichi nodded and walked towards the river after Tsunade, leaving Itachi and Kisame alone. Tsunade stopped and turned to Sakura.

"I'm guessing you've already noticed right?"

"You mean Itachi's blindness?"

"Yup. I'm going to need you to heal him."

"But can't we say that I can't. I mean he killed his own family, don't you think that he should at least live with his blindness?"

"Sakura…I taught you better then that," Tsunade chided.

The kunoichi dropped her head slightly ashamed. "Hai…forgive me."

Tsunade sighed and wrapped her arms around Sakura in a short hug. "I understand that this is a lot. And news about a War isn't easy to hear either, but I want you to stay strong." She pulled back and looked at Sakura who gave a small smile back.

"Alright…I'll try."

"Thank you… Naruto will need your help to cope with the change as well and of course Ino will need you as well."

At this Sakura chuckled. "Yeah…That's a mess waiting to happen."

Tsunade laughed before turning serious again. "I don't know why or what, but for some reason—between you and me—I think that there is something that happened behind the Uchiha massacre."

Sakura furrowed her brows. "Like what?"

"I don't know, but if you think about it, why would Itachi want to test his strength just to kill his clan? There are other ways to test your strength…I think that he's hiding something and I want you to keep an eye on him. I don't trust him…If you ever get worried and want someone else to be teamed up with you then let me know and I can send Izumo with you."

"Don't worry. I'll be fine by myself," she smiled.

"That's the kunoichi I know," Tsunade laughed.

****************************************************************************

Sakura sighed as she walked back to the given address. It had been a long and stressful evening and all that she could think of at the moment was a nice cozy bed…Sadly she wasn't quite sure how well she would be able to sleep with two criminals in the same building. Sigh. Hopefully Tsunade was kind enough to give her an apartment with three rooms…

She sighed again and continued to drag her feet down the road. Earlier after her talk with Tsunade, she had told Itachi and Kisame to go ahead and she would meet them their at the apartment. She of course wanted to go check on Ino and Naruto.

She had stopped by Ino and Hidan's apartment first only to hear angry yells through the door. She guessed that it was a continuation of what was said in the training grounds so she decided to check back on them later…sadly on her "escape", Ino had sensed her from the room and insisted that Sakura should stay with her for a while…turned out that Sakura was forced to stay as long as she could.

Poor Ino… her pink haired friend didn't stick around quite that long. In fact she escaped the foul mouthed couple at the first chance. Out the window she went and on to what she hoped to be a…safer environment.

Finding Naruto and Deidara wasn't too hard…Safe to say that the two full teams of Anbu breaking up a fight in the middle of the street was enough to show Sakura where the troublesome blondes where. There were four men on each blonde that continued yelling insults to the other.

"_You killed him!"_

"_He's alive so what are you worried about, yeah?!"_

"_I should've killed you the first time we met!"_

"_Yeah right! You don't have what it takes!"_

"_Shut up, both of you!" ordered one of the Anbu. _

"_Naruto, if you don't settle down then we will be forced arrest you," warned another._

"_I don't care! As long as he doesn't live!"_

"_Naruto! Stop!" Sakura yelled. She rushed to the men, but Naruto was still fighting back. The resisting continued until both Deidara and Naruto were knocked out cold and sent to the interrogation room until they woke up…_

_When they finally did wake up, both found themselves strapped tightly down to a chair on either side of a table. As if on cue, Tsunade and Kakashi walked in, with Sakura at their heels. "What the Hell do you think you were doing?!" Tsunade questioned. Naruto winced from her harsh tone. _

"_I told him that I didn't want to be his friend. That wasn't in our agreement to be BF's, yeah."_

"_It wasn't in the agreement to cause trouble in the streets either!"_

_Kakashi sighed and looked to Naruto. "What happened?"_

"_We got in a fight…"_

"_Over what?"_

_Both blondes looked to each other for a moment…_

"…"

"…"

"_Well?" Kakashi pushed._

"_Uh," Naruto grinned sheepishly. "I don't really remember."_

"_Keh," grinned Dediara. "I don't either, un."_

_Sakura looked back and forth between the two before laughing. Deidara chuckled, followed by Naruto until all three where laughing at the situation. _

"_So what do you plan to do now?" Kakashi asked Tsunade. _

"_They got in a fight for no reason…what kind of punishment does that deserve?" _

_Kakashi pondered it for a moment. "A free pass?"_

Sakura smiled at the thought. To think that Deidara and Naruto where perfectly fine now…All because of some pointless fist fight…

_Maybe Ino and Hidan should look into anger management…_

She sighed and stopped in front of a tall three story building. 1785… this was the place.

**Damn! Tsunade knows how to pick a place to stay!**

Sakura agreed. She started to walk up the stairs until she came to her number…9. Absent mindedly, she tried the handle, before it dawned on her that she didn't have a key. With yet another sigh, she knocked on the door, choosing not to just pick the lock. She didn't want to startle either one of the S-class criminals in fear that she may come face to face with Samehada or worse…Sharringan.

The door suddenly opened to reveal a blue skinned man with a toothy grin in place. "Hey kid! 'Bout time you showed up. I was thinking you ran out on us."

Sakura walked in only to meet Itachi's black eyes from where he sat at the dining table. Holding her ground she glared. "I don't run out."

The look and hostility went unnoticed to Kisame as he made his way to the kitchen. But Itachi caught it. He looked back to his cup of steaming tea and he sipped on it gently, aware of Sakura's wondering gaze.

"Like what you see?" he asked in a deep voice. Unlike the normal mocking tone that the question was asked in, he kept it serious.

Sakura scrunched her nose in a half snarl. "It's actually sickening to be in the same room as a clan murderer."

Cold eyes turned to her calmly. "…Hn."

Sakura's eye twitched. "Ok let's get one thing straight. If you're going to say anything then use an actually a word—not this stupid "hn" stuff."

"…" Itachi's corner of his lips curled into a smirk and his eyes narrowed. "…Hn." He said daringly, knowing that Sakura was already uncomfortable.

She resisted smacking herself in the forhead and Kisame's laughter didn't help either.

"Good luck with that one kid!"

"Look—We have had a tough day so I'm going to get some sleep." She walked around the couch and gave Itachi enough birth room to walk to the hall where she paused. "Which one is my room?"

Kisame shrugged.

"Second to the left. Next to Kisame." Itachi said quietly.

"…Thanks…" She started to walk down the hall, not bothering with a good night and closed her door.

Kisame sat down on the couch and started to drink his Sake. "So what do you think?"

"About what?"

"About everything? The agreement, the teams, the girl?" he wiggled his eyebrows suggestively.

"…Hn."

Kisame sighed. "Alright, so you're not too happy." He downed his cup and poured another which didn't go unnoticed by the stoic nin. Obviously, Kisame was on edge as well but after being a missing-nin for so long, you learned to hide all discomfort. It was like second nature. But what wasn't normal was to actually stay in one place. Difficult…yes, but learning to trust again was going to be a chore…to everyone.

"So what are we going to do? I'm telling ya, I'm gonna get bored real quick around here."

"…Train…That's the only thing worth doing."

"So you don't have any friends or girlfriends you want to hook up with?"

"…No."

Kisame sighed. He liked Itachi, but Hell he wanted someone to actually talk to. And now that Deidara, Kakuzu and Hidan where separated, he had to leave what was left of his sanity in the hands of the pink haired kunoichi…

Sigh …

He was doomed…

**How's that for ya! It will be a little slow for the next chapter or two, but please hang in there! Anyway this is what's happening right now. Wednesday I have to go to the Doc's again and Thursday I have surgery…Joy. Anyway after all that I'll start updating with a weekly chapter…Maybe even two chapters!! Just give me the rest of this week off and I'll update AS SOON AS I CAN!! I swear!!**

**Please review so I know that I haven't lost any readers! I feel reeeeaaaaally bad! But remember that I never asked for my horse to flip over on me....I really could've went without the whole thing and been happy *sigh* Thanks to all who have reviewed!! You guys are awesome! **


	6. Twisted Morals

**Here I am!! Let's get back to the story now shall we? Just to let ya know. I'm making Sakura 19. I know Itachi is 21 and Sakura is supposed to be younger but hey! It's my story!!! Bash if you want but it won't change my mind! :p**

**As for those who like it so far! You're way past the highest level of awesome on a hot dog planet set on fire!!!**

_**Rai: Don't worry readers…that's a good thing**_**. **

**That's Rai-my OC if you haven't read my other story! O and Btw, I went over my plot line and as a warning, it may be a little bit slow to start off but as soon as it really starts to pick up, there is no slowing it down!**

**Yup you heard right! The plot line—in my opinion—is **_**just**_** that **_**awesome**_**…*giggles happily and throws confetti with a retarded pointed party hat on crooked***

**Disclaimer….Ryuu! Ryuu! Yay!!!**

Emerald eyes stared at the white ceiling above with a bored expression covering her features. Sakura sighed as she shifted her legs and the soft rustle of the sheets greeted her in her room that was still dark from the setting moon. With heavy eyes, she turned her head and looked to the clock on the table near her bed. 5:37am shone in bright white letters and she blinked before turning back to the ceiling.

_I can't hide in my room forever_…Again she sighed and pulled the covers from her as she sat up and rubbed the sleep from her eyes. Swinging her feet out to the side, she stepped down and gave a short shiver as her bare feet met cold hardwood floors.

But she ignored it and went to her dresser that had been filled with her clothes when she was out. Pulling open a few drawers, she picked out a few different clothes. She wasn't in her usual mood and decided that black was good enough. With heavy feet she walked to the bathroom before stopping midway through the door.

An eyebrow twitched as she stared into her reflection and examined her hair that hung in a mess around her shoulders. Picking up a lock in between two fingers, she scowled before letting it fall flat. "I guess I'll have to take a shower," she said reluctantly and started with her usual routine.

Once she was dry and clean, she looked back to the mirror and smiled approvingly. She had to admit that the black looked good on her. Instead of her usual red Haruno shirt, she was wearing her black tank top that her mother had gotten her for her birthday and black capris. A red sash wrapped around her waist where her sword was usually place when not on her back with the Haruno seal on the end. Smiling, she pulled her red forehead protector and tied it around her hair, but as her fingers tied the knot in the back, she paused.

This was the start of change…she had started to change her outfit to less…attractive colors, and she had thought about cutting her hair again. Of course she had always loved her hair long and soon after, threw that idea out.

**Put it somewhere else! Cha! Then we'll be hot! Let's see what Ino says when she sees us now!**

Sakura grinned and thought about it for a moment. Where would her forehead protector go now? Not around the waist or thigh like Ino and some other girls…Not the arm either. So that left around the neck… Sakura replaced it around her neck and looked back to the mirror. "Now we're ready."

With that said, she walked back into the bedroom and pulled her kunai bag and sword before strapping them onto her and walking out the door with false hope that perhaps Kisame and Itachi were still asleep….

**Fat chance…**inner scoffed.

Sakura ignored her, though she knew that inner was probably right. Her lungs burned against her chest as she held her breath and slowly, and as quietly, she walked down the hall and into the living room. As she turned the corner of the door way, she silently jumped for joy in her mind as an empty couch and chair came into view, but her happy mood was washed away not even a second later at the sight of Itachi sitting at the table looking out the window and Kisame in the kitchen.

"Keh, about time you came out," Kisame grinned toothily and pulled out a bottle of Sake.

Sakura's eyebrow twitched and she pointed to the blue man accusingly. "Are you drinking this early? What is wrong with you? Where did you get it?!"

"Damn you're pissy."

Sakura scowled but was interrupted before she could retort. "Calm yourself, Sakura-chan. Kisame always drinks," Itachi said quietly and sipped a cup of steaming liquid without looking up to her.

Sakura's attention turned to the Uchiha. "Don't call me that and…did you even move from that spot?"

"I won't dignify that with an answer," he said in the same emotionless voice, but Sakura's cunning green eyes caught a glimpse of the corner of his mouth turning up before he took another sip. _He's mocking us…_

"…"

"…"

"…"

"…"

"Hey," Kisame said to get Sakura's attention. "Are you going to train with us?"

Sakura looked back to the grinning blue man. "No."

"No? Well no offense kitten but you are going to have to step up your sword play if you're gonna be teamed with us."

"That's why I have someone to help me. Kakashi has been helping for the past few months and  
I'm going to meet him in a little bit for training." Sakura decided to skip breakfast and head to the training grounds. "When I return later, I'll start your first session to heal your eyes," she said to Itachi as she slipped on her sandals and opened the door. "Outside of that, you do your thing and I'll do mine and we'll get along famously…"

And with that, she left the two men alone in the apartment. Kisame huffed to himself and grabbed his drink as he walked to the couch and lay down. "That kid's got a few issues, eh? Kinda bitchy…"

"Hn."

Kisame tipped his bottle to his lips and chugged a few mouthfuls before pulling an arm behind his head. "You're gonna have to show me around. The last time we were here, I only saw a few places."

"There isn't much to see."

"No? Well I'm sure there's something…" Again he took another swallow. "We need to get the kitten to train with us or something. I don't want to hear that Hokage bitch about how we aren't working like a team. Of course it wouldn't be like Leader-sama, but it would get old real quick…"

"We can talk to the girl when she returns…" Itachi said absentmindedly as he sipped his tea once more and stared out the window. A few other shinobi had gotten up and judging by their chakra levels, Itachi could tell that they were Anbu level.

A sudden blur of pink caught his attention and he looked across the street as Sakura made her way to the training grounds. Onyx eyes watched her from the glassy barrier of the window as he raised the cup to his lips and took another sip until she was out of sight through the trees.

She was an interesting kunoichi. One that seemed to have caught his interest. Her rebellious and fearless attitude towards them was one thing that he hadn't expected from the pink haired girl. As a first impression he would've thought her to be fearful—perhaps even distant from the S-class criminals, not a fiery spitfire.

Why hadn't he noticed her before? Yes he had ran into her team a few times, but that was on a rare enough occasion and his focus had always been on either Sasuke or the nine-tailed, Naruto.

With this in mind, he began to ponder on her skill level. Knowing the system of Konoha's laws, he was aware that each team was split to balance each member's skills and weaknesses. Mentally he began to break it down. Sasuke had the bloodline Sharringan and was one of the last Uchiha's; not to mention his potential was high. Naruto on the other hand was loud and opinionated. His skill level was low, but with the nine-tail's chakra, and hard work--on both his part and his teachers'—he had improved and was no doubt as powerful as Sasuke. But where did the girl fit in? Just based on the team arrangements, he would guess that she was _unbelievably_ weak, but he knew that was false.

She had been trained under Tsunade and that wasn't an easy task to do, that much he knew. From what he had seen at the bridge of Heaven and Earth, her healing abilities were advanced and it was only confirmed by her being in charge to heal his eyes. But what about her actual skill?

Orochimaru was planning to put a seal on her, he reminded himself. And the snake wouldn't waste his time unless he saw potential. Perhaps she did have power? Why else would she be paired with him and Kisame?

But only a few weeks ago, when they had extracted the tailed demon from the Kage, she wasn't with her team, according to Deidara. Perhaps she was the one who fought Sasori?

That must be it. The destruction would have matched an attack like Tsunade's. Interesting…She seemed to have more power then he had realized, but Kisame was right. She still wasn't in the same level as himself or the Mist-nin for that matter. She still had a ways to go…

This made him curious. A strong pull seemed to touch his senses. He wanted to see for himself her skills and perhaps more.

Again he raised his cup to his lips. Perhaps it wouldn't be as boring here in Konoha with this kunoichi around…

*********************************************************************

Sakura huffed to herself as she thought bitterly on her new team mates. The nerve of them. They were taking this all in as if it was just another day and here Sakura was having a hard enough time getting out of bed to start her training!

The sun began to peer over the forest trees and wake the village as she walked towards team 7 training grounds. A welcoming wind wrapped around her, bringing her attention to a silhouette of a man walking towards her, making her stop and blink at the new arrival.

"Kakashi?" she asked incredulously.

The white haired man looked up from his faithful blue book and gave an eye crinkle as he brought up a gloved hand. "Yo."

"What?—You're actually early…"

"Uh, yeah, I am…." He said as he came to a stop in front of her, while scratching the back of his neck sheepishly.

"Why are you early? Not that I mind at all," she defended, "but it's just weird."

"Uh…I just figured that I could help you before you train with your new team."

Sakura scowled. "Oh…well I'm not going to train with them."

Kakashi blinked. "Well you are going to have to at some point…"

Sakura sighed reluctantly and folded her arms over her chest. "I know. It's just going to be a pain in the ass." Sakura looked up to Kakashi and then around the empty training grounds. "Where's Tobi? Aren't you guys going to train?"

"…………………………………………………Uh, Tobi is still in bed and I figured he could take the day off so we could start tomorrow………………..or next week," he grinned.

Sakura sweat dropped. "Riiiight. You're going to get in trouble too Kaka-kun."

"You're not going to tell on your sensei now, are you?"

Sakura grinned. "…I won't tell if you get me into the next test for Anbu, like you promised…"

Kakashi returned the grin and held out a hand. "Deal." They walked to the center of the grounds and Kakashi pulled out his katana and set his book safely into his pocket. "Your genjutsu is already high enough for the required Anbu tests and your medic skills will only increase your chances but Ninjutsu and sword play will have to be brought up to cord," he analyzed as Sakura stretched.

"Alright…"

"Have you asked Kisame to help you? Even Itachi could give you advise seeing as he was Anbu, too," Kakashi mused.

Sakura paused and glared at Kakashi. "Yeah and I think you should loosen up a little…Maybe Tobi can help you with that."

Kakashi sweat dropped and forced a grin. "Eh, Sakura. You don't have to take it personal…"

"Well you know how I feel about Itachi." She turned back to her stretching.

"Yeah, I know." Kakashi looked around until Sakura finished and he turned back to her. "Alright are you ready?"

"Are you?"

"When have I not been?"

Sakura grinned and pulled her katana out of its sheath with a _shing_. Both waited for the other to make a move, but Sakura knew that Kakashi wouldn't. Then again, who said that she would be the first to charge? One thing that training with Kakashi had taught her was to read her opponent. Kakashi was an observer-just the cold fact. He would read a person's movements with our without his Sharringan.

That was his crutch that he relied on in a fight…_Well let's see how well he stood on his own two feet._

With a cunning grin, she charged at the white haired nin with her sword out to her side.

"A simple attack is useless for Anbu," Kakashi stated as Sakura charged closer.

Her grin didn't falter as she reached him and swung her blade towards him. Kakashi easily jumped to the side and out of her reach, but before his feet touched the ground, a bright gleam caught his eye just as a second blade tried to tear into him from behind.

Again he spun backwards away from her clone towards a nearby tree. But no sooner did he come to a complete stop did the real Sakura throw a kunai towards his ankle. He back flipped away, landing right into the kunoichi's trap. A string caught on his heel, sending multiple senbons and shurikens hurling towards him. With his own blade, he deflected many of the weapons while dodging others, missing two that skimmed across his left arm.

This time, he leapt into the safety of the branches and looked down to Sakura and her clone.

"That was impressive," he breathed with a grin. "But you let your guard down."

Pink brows furrowed. "What?" But before he could explain, she was suddenly pulled into the ground by her ankle until only her head was out.

**Damn it! First Sasuke then Naruto! Now us! **

Sakura pouted and wiggled around, trying to free her arms so she could pull herself out. But she found that it was futile. Kakashi jumped from the tree and tossed a shuriken to the clone, making it disappear in a poof.

Casually he walked over to Sakura who continued to wiggle around hopelessly.

"It looks like you could use a hand."

"I'm fine," she retorted angrily and continued her struggles.

Kakashi watched for a moment before walking to her to get her out. "No, you're stuck."

He reached down to pull her out but stopped as soon as he touched her……why? Well let's just say you can't pull something that's not there…

"Genjutsu," Kakashi whispered just as a tree was thrown at him from behind. He didn't waste anytime as his hands were sent into a flurry of signals and he crashed his palms to the ground as a large wall shot forward, blocking the tree from its target.

Sakura appeared behind the crouching Kakashi and released a hand signal before facing her palm towards him. "Yuumei No Mai!"

Two strips of chakra surged from her palm to the shocked shinobi, but he was too slow on dodging the attack. The first white strip folded around his ankle in a vice grip before the second black chakra swallowed him from his ankle up, immobilizing him to the spot until black and white was twisted all around him.

"Release!" Sakura ordered and suddenly, Kakashi found himself freed from the chakra as it dissolved into nothing. Crimson eyes blinked and looked around until the realization set in.

He couldn't move.

"What should I have you do now?" Sakura questioned.

Kakashi said nothing as he activated his Sharringan to try and dispel the jutsu. Suddenly Sakura got an idea and her grin stretched.

With a flick of her fingers, chakra strings attached themselves to Kakashi who paused to look questioningly to the kunoichi. "Sakura? When did you learn this?"

"Chiyo and Sasori…Oh," she said while putting a finger to her chin as a thought came to her. "And Kankuro. After I healed him I asked if he could give me a few pointers."

"Kankuro? Ok I get how you learned it but, uh…I think we should go get some breakfast-I'm hungry," he pleaded, trying to convince her not to make him do anything before she got an idea.

"I'm not Naruto," she huffed teasingly. "I won't drop whatever I'm doing whenever you mention food."

Kakashi sweat dropped nervously. This wasn't his plan at all!

"You know," Sakura dragged real slowly. "I've always wanted to see you with out your mask on…."

Sweat pulsed through Kakashi's skin. "Now Sakura…Let's not do this…"

Sakura smirked and pulled the strings tight.

Now the tables were turned on Kakashi who struggled to gain control all in futile effort. "Sakura-don't do it…"

"Are you begging?" she asked as her pinky raised his left hand to his mask.

"…Maybe…Yes. I'm begging."

Sakura said nothing and continued. Fingers reached the rim of his mask and slowly curled before pulling over his nose, then chin to reveal….

"What?! Are you kidding me?!" Sakura exclaimed. "How many masks do you wear?!"

Kakashi just grinned. "Sakura-you're not being very nice…"

"Me? You're the one that never shows us what's under your mask!...Come on Kaka-kun-pleeeeeaaaase! It's only me and I swear that I won't tell anyone. It can be like our own little secret."

Kakashi seemed to ponder it for a moment. "What about another deal? I will show only you _if _you train like a team with Itachi and Kisame," he grinned.

An angry crease stretched across her forehead. "That's not fair…"

"It's fair enough. So what will it be?"

Sakura stood and pondered it for a moment knowing that if she tried to take it off again then there would only be another mask. After all Kakashi seemed to be overly relaxed at the moment.

**Come on! This is our chance to see before Sasuke and Naruto! Cha!**

Sakura opened her mouth to say something but was suddenly interrupted by a distant shout.

"Senpai!! I found you!"

Emerald eyes shot open and she looked back to see Tobi rushing towards them. "Fine—I'll train with Kisame and Itachi! See you later!"

"No Sakura-Don't leave-" But she had already dispelled the jutsu on Kakashi and disappeared in a poof of dark grey smoke.

Kakashi stared paralyzed as Tobi reached him gasping for air. "Senpai! I thought I lost you!" he exclaimed and wrapped his arms around Kakashi in a crushing hug.

"T-tobi…Can't breathe…" Curse his luck…

**********************************************************************

Sakura wondered back to her apartment with slow strides, dreading the session with Itachi. No matter how many times she tried to push thoughts of Sasuke and the clan out of her mind, she only grew angrier. How was it that Gaara and Naruto could forgive so easily? Wait. She could and had done the same, but why couldn't she forgive Itachi?

Duh-he killed his clan and left Sasuke alone…

But Gaara had tried to kill her and all of Konoha. He even tried to kill Naruto and Sasuke. At least Itachi left Sasuke alive…But Itachi killed his own clan.

"Grrr!" she growled angrily as she walked down the hall to her apartment. Why couldn't she just forget about it?!

Sakura sighed as she came to her apartment door and opened it up to an empty living room. Emerald eyes glanced around to the table then to the kitchen. Empty.

"Looks like they're still out," she said to herself. That left only one thing for her to do… "I need a shower…"

Walking into her room, she tossed her kunai bag onto her bed and grabbed some clean clothes before walking into her bathroom. Let's face it. She had dirt in places where it should never go. Closing the door behind her, she pulled her katana out and set it safely on the counter.

Sakura turned on the faucet and pulled her shirt over her head while stepping out of her pants. It wasn't much of a long training so after she had made her proud escape from Tobi, she had ran a few extra laps around the village, followed by a detour as she followed Zetsu and Shikamaru. Surprisingly enough, her hunter skills were on edge thanks to three hard weeks with Kakashi. Neither Shikamaru, nor Zetsu, figured out that she had tracked them throughout their training together.

Sad thing was that she found it addicting. She never liked to spy on her friends, but just to see how long she could go before being noticed was surprisingly enjoyable.

She stepped into the shower and shivered, allowing her body to adjust to the change in temperature. Tomorrow she would try and talk to Kisame about training. As for Itachi, she would test her true hunter skills as she followed him. Maybe even learn more about the stoic nin. That counts as training with him, right?

**But what if Kakashi asks Itachi before he shows us his face?**

Easy…She could explain that if she told Itachi that she would be tracking him then it would take the element of surprise away.

**Yeah right. He won't believe that. **

Sadly she knew inner had a point. But she would cross that bridge when it came. As for now, she just had to heal his eyes…

"Damn it! I can't even take a shower with out thinking of him!" Sakura growled under her breath.

**Maybe you have a little crush for Itachi**, inner teased.

"Shut up-I didn't ask for your input. It's not like I would ever have a stupid crush over some one who kills his family."

Inner didn't say anything and Sakura didn't push the conversation as she rinsed off before stepping out and wrapping a towel around her.

After a few minutes, she finished and walked out of her shower, feeling refreshed and clean. Walking to her bed she leaned over to check her kunai bag. Opening it up, all her weapons winked at her from a gleam of a sinking sun. Emerald eyes looked to the clock. 7:23pm. Was it really that late? Her training had gone longer then she had thought.

Before she realized that she hadn't eaten, her stomach growled in complaint and she sighed. Her kunai and shuriken were sharp and still clean, but her sword needed to be taken care of. With that in mind, she tied it to her waist so she wouldn't forget after her healing session with Itachi. Quickly she grabbed a pen and notebook before walking out of her room to Itachi's.

"Maybe I'll be lucky and they're still training," she said to herself, knowing that she was putting off the inevitable.

As she walked down the hall, a door suddenly opened to reveal Itachi in a black t-shirt and pants.

"Oh," Sakura said, trying to add as much enthusiasm in her voice. The down trodden tone didn't go unnoticed to Itachi who waited to see what the curious kunoichi would do.

"So are you ready?" _Let's get it over with_…she added to herself.

"Hn." Itachi stepped aside to allow her in before closing the door after her. Sakura walked in while taking in the view of the room. There wasn't an attached bathroom like hers and it was considerably smaller. A bed was pushed against the wall with black sheets and a closet near a dark desk. The walls-unlike her beige-were a midnight blue with white drapes by the window. Compared to hers, it wasn't near as nice, but the design was simple and…charming at the same time.

"Did you decorate this yourself?" she asked and pulled a chair next to the bed.

"Is there a problem with it?"

"…No. I didn't think that you…you know…"

"No, I don't know."

Sakura stared at him for a moment, immediately recognizing the amusement he was getting out of making her uncomfortable.

"Look, let's just get this started. Come lay down."

The stoic man said nothing and lay on the bed with an arm behind his head. Sakura took a breath and set her notepad on her lap; opening it to a blank page. "Take off your headband," she said, trying to keep her voice level.

Itachi untied his forehead protector and let it rest near him on the bed. Again an arm pulled behind his head for support as Sakura allowed chakra to her fingertips that rested to his temples. She closed her eyes and followed her chakra through his nerves, letting the minutes tick by. The silence was uncomfortable-or at least it was to Sakura.

"So…What did you do today?" Sakura asked as she continued to focus with her eyes closed; all too aware of the piercing gaze from Itachi.

"Trained."

Sakura sweat dropped. _Great-a real socialist. _"Where at? I went everywhere and I didn't see you."

"…Hn."

Emerald eyes opened and she glared down at Itachi. "Why do you always say that? Sasuke did the same thing." Her temper was once again rising.

"Why must I talk as much as others?"

"You can't answer my question with another," she stated stubbornly.

The cunning Uchiha stared at her with a small smirk forming. They stared for a few seconds until Sakura lost her nerve and closed her eyes to continue on his temples. Of course she didn't need to have her eyes closed, but it made the experience that more tolerable.

"Are you going to be training again tomorrow?"

"Are you wanting to join us?"

Her temple pulsed angrily. "No. It was just a question." Well it wasn't a complete lie.

"…" Itachi relaxed as silence settled over them once more; the soft chakra searching his eyes was temporarily easing the ache. No doubt it would increase later on in the night, but that was nothing that he hasn't been able to handle before.

As he stared at the kunoichi he blinked a few times to rid of his blurry vision, but like the many times before, it was futile. All he could do was hope for a way that the kunoichi could at the least, slow down the process.

"How is Kakashi doing?" Itachi asked, knowing that it would confuse the girl. But he still wanted to figure her out.

"Kakashi? How would I know? I haven't seen him since yesterday." She lied. _How did he know I went with Kakashi? _

"You did say this morning that you were training with him…"

_Oh…that's right. _"He didn't show up. I guess he got tied up with Tobi." She replied in a neutral voice.

Itachi seemed to ponder it for a moment before giving a short nod. "That's a convincing lie, but could easily be sought out."

Sakura opened her eyes and looked to the man on the bed. "What?"

Onyx eyes looked to her calmly. "Shizune-san stopped by earlier and said that our team would be taking on higher missions then the others. I wanted to see how well your lies held up."

"You think that I can't handle myself?" Sakura's anger grew.

"Calm yourself. I was merely making an observation."

"Observation my ass! Just because I didn't kill my family doesn't mean that I'm some helpless girl."

"Perhaps you shouldn't jump to conclusions," he chided calmly.

His laid back nature began to fuel the fire to Sakura's temper. "Then why 'oh great Uchiha' did you murder your family? I'll tell you one thing, I know it wasn't to test your true skills." She sat back in her chair and scribbled down a few notes about what she had seen with her chakra.

"Is that so?" He looked back to the ceiling, loosing interest in the conversation.

"There are other ways to test your strengths. I know that you used that as an excuse to cover up the truth. And I want to know what the truth is."

"…."

After no response she continued. "Maybe I already came to the truth-that you're a fucked up murderer who saw no boundaries or integrity."

"…"

Silence was all that was heard outside of the scribbling of her pen. Finally she stopped and looked to Itachi who had closed his eyes sometime during the one-sided argument. That was the last straw for Sakura. Not bothering to contain herself, she slammed her notebook onto the bed and glared at Itachi. "You don't get it do you?! Or you don't care! You fucked up Sasuke's life! He was your little brother, damn it! Oh I bet your mother is real proud of you now, isn't she?"

Suddenly, Itachi swung to the opposite side of the bed and stood to his feet before walking past her to the door.

"Are you leaving? What-now you get to choose when we're done talking?!"

"There is no reason why I should stay."

Sakura stood up and spun on her heels while watching him walk away. "I want to know the truth!" After no reaction she narrowed her eyes until they were slits. "Go ahead! Run away-you're real good at that-"

Suddenly she stopped as she was thrown against the bed with a hand crushing her throat and another holding her hands together in a hold that Kakashi had taught her. It she moved the slightest in any direction then her fingers would be broken in a matter of a few painful snaps.

"You need to stop acting childish," he said as he leaned down to her face, with crimson eyes burning with new fire. "You act as if you understand everything, but you are naïve." He leaned forwards more and stared into frightened emerald. "You loath me because of things you don't understand. You believe the choice to kill my clan came to me on a whim and to leave Sasuke alive was a bonus point for me. To tell you the truth," he tightened his grip on her throat, robbing her of rich oxygen. "I pity you. When are you going to grow up and take everything that doesn't have to do with Sasuke and learn from it?"

Slowly he released her throat and stood to his feet before walking to the door, leaving her alone on the bed alone. Emerald eyes stared at the lone door in thought as she rubbed her painful throat. She had gone too far-that much was obvious. But she couldn't help to feel ashamed. Why? He was a killer. But so was she. The only thing that made it different was that it wasn't her family that she had killed…

She sighed and looked to her hands sadly. Was she still obsessing over Sasuke? How was that possible? On missions, she just wanted him back for Naruto, but once she was in Konoha again, she fell into the regular routine of thinking about him again.

**We'll change that! We know that he won't come back again!**

But he would come back…Itachi was here now and that meant that she would see him again. But deep down, she knew that she didn't want to bring him back. He had done so much to every one-especially Naruto that shouldn't be forgiven. She wouldn't be able to forgive him.

So Itachi wasn't all the way right. She was learning. After all, she was defending Sasuke's past-not Sasuke himself. The younger Uchiha had chosen his own way and he would live with those choices.

But still, that brought on many questions about Itachi. And this time, the more she thought about the eldest, the guiltier she became.

Curse her conscious.

***********************************************************************

Kisame looked over to Sakura who sat in the recliner, deep in thought. Dinner had been….awkward and the Mist-nin was just glad that it was over with. Itachi hadn't said a word, which even on his bad days he said a few things. Sakura was about the same with her gaze never leaving the meal in front of her. Did she even eat anything?

Poor Kisame had to sit in between them with only Sake for company. At least the girl did the dishes. Itachi had left shortly after to go on a walk and the only reason Kisame knew that was because it was part of the Uchiha's regular schedule. Still it was obvious something happened in the room when Sakura was checking his sight.

"So," Kisame started and brought two bottles of sake to the living room where Sakura sat, sharpening her katana. With a short huff, he sat down on the couch and handed Sakura a bottle which she eagerly took. Kami knew she needed one.

"How old are you anyway?"

Emerald eyes looked to Kisame. "19. Why?"

"Just curious."

There was a moment of silence before Sakura looked up from her katana. "How old are you?"

Kisame grinned and paused from taking a sip from his drink. At least she was starting to talk. "Well how old do I look, kitten?"

"I'd say…29?"

"32."

"Really? I thought I was a little high with 29."

Kisame chuckled and took a drink. "You flatter me, kitten."

Sakura grinned. "What about…Itachi?"

Kisame gave her a strange look that she couldn't read. "21."

"Hmm…" She turned back to working on her blade. After a moment Kisame spoke.

"So how are his eyes?"

Sakura looked up once again. "Well it should only take a five sessions to relieve the damage and then I'll have to go in and clean out his chakra current that flows to his eyes that he uses to activate his bloodline. By next month he'll be able to see better than anyone in the village," she stated proudly, knowing that Kisame was really interested in what she could do, healing wise.

"A month, huh?" He took another drink.

"I was wondering," she started, wanting to change the subject. "Would it be ok if you and I trained tomorrow after you're done with Itachi?"

Kisame blinked and looked to the kunoichi. "Uh…sure." He knew that she didn't want to be with Itachi and he would bet Kakuzu that it was vise versa. But he wouldn't push it. As far as he was concerned, they would have to work it out themselves. Still he was curious about what happened. "Itachi seemed unsettled about something at dinner."

He kept his eyes on her as he took another drink, not missing how Sakura paused in sharpening her blade. "Really? I hadn't noticed."

"Now that's a damn lie if I ever heard one," he scoffed.

Sakura stopped and sighed before setting her blade next to her on the couch. "I just don't understand him. From what everyone here says, he's a killer with no boundaries. All he wants is power…but when I hear these things, I always think of Sasuke and how he turned his back on us for power. The only thing is that the rumors don't fit with Itachi's actions-well not completely. I'm just confused."

Kisame seemed to ponder on it for a while. "Well, kitten, I don't know Sasuke but I know a bit about Itachi." He finished his drink and leaned back with an arm over the back of the couch. "Let me tell you something about him. Afterwards you can come up with your own opinion of him."

Sakura looked up to him curiously.

_Kisame walked casually next to Itachi as they walked through a town square in Waterfall. It was a busy place, many people were bustling around and kids ran passed them, chasing each other. Neither Itachi nor Kisame paid them any attention as they walked through as if invisible. As far as the citizens were concerned, Akatsuki had been a blessing seeing as they had protected them from a few enemy nin. Funny how they could twist the facts around. _

_The truth was that Hidan was in need of some sacrifices and some trouble makers just happened to catch his interests. Kisame chuckled to himself. If only they knew what Hidan did to them…._

_They were there looking for a source that Itachi had been in contact with for a few months. The Uchiha was 15 now and just as mysterious as when he was 13. Still Kisame and the kid got along fairly well._

_They made their way to a small tea shop before disappearing inside. The sweet smell of dumplings and rich jasmine tea filled the air as the two figures walked to the back booth where the source sat waiting patiently. "Ah, you came," he greeted. _

_Itachi said nothing and took a seat while Kisame examined the man while wrinkling his nose in disgust. The man was a tall and well built brute with unruly blonde hair that looked packed with dirt. The lingering smell of dirt was mixed with a strong smell of overly used cheap cologne. Still, Kisame took as much fresh air as he could into his lungs before taking a seat across from him. _

_As Itachi and the man discussed the information, Kisame looked around the empty tea shop. There wasn't much of anyone in the small room, but it still gave him a good view of the place. The walls were a dark maroon with beige booths and table cloths. Every ten feet on the wall hung a bright lamp with brass holders up to the bar that separated the tables from the kitchen. _

_A sudden shadow shifted as it made its was through the dim kitchen until the door opened to reveal a young blonde about the age of 23. She wasn't too tall but her long legs were no doubt from her father as for the long golden locks. _

"_Father…I have something I want to tell you," she said with a soft smile. _

_The man looked to her angrily. "Go away Hani, I'm busy." He turned back to Itachi who gave a short nod to Hani before looking to the father. _

"_But-it's important….I came down here to tell you myself." _

_Kisame looked between Hani and her father who seemed to get angrier by the second. "You aren't even supposed to be here! We agreed that you are no longer welcome in this family-"_

"_Foraku, go talk with her and we will discuss the rest when you are finished." Itachi ordered coldly earning a questioning look from Kisame. _What's got him ticked?

_Foraku's face calmed, but Kisame saw that his jaw was clenched. No doubt afraid that Itachi would kill him in a seconds time if he argued. The blonde stepped out of the booth and walked to the other side of the room to talk to his daughter. _

_Kisame and Itachi sat silently, waiting for them to finish, but within a moment, it appeared that they would be waiting longer then they had planned. _

"_What?! I told you to stay away from him, and you didn't listen!"_

"_But I love him-"_

"_And you disobeyed me!" he yelled over her pleas. Tears streaked down the girl's doll like face. "I made myself clear that if you went off with him then you were no longer welcome in this family!" _

"_But I want my family there for our wedding-please. It would mean so much to me-"_

"_What don't you understand?! He doesn't have the money that you deserve!"_

"_But I love him!" Smack!_

_Her head spun to the side and a whimper left her. There was a soft moment of silence. _

_Kisame watched with narrowed eyes, not liking how this was going. A sudden shift alerted him to Itachi who had started to get up, but with a firm look from the Mist-nin he stayed in his seat. Yes they were criminals, but they never asked to be this way. Even domestic issues like this brought on too many memories to even the hardest criminals. After all Kisame had yet met a man who has had a good childhood and still turned out to be a killer. _

_The young girl stared hard at her father, clearly tired of being pushed around and with a strong voice she said in a low whisper. "I'm pregnant with his child and I_ will_ marry him whether you want me to or not." _

_The air seem to thicken dangerously in the small tea shop before the father's nostrils flared and he pushed his daughter into the kitchen, out of eye and earshot of the two men. _

"_Who is that guy?" Kisame asked. _

"_He's a mole that was in Sound base for a few years. Sound-nin travel a lot and some how he had gotten captured," Itachi explained and looked to the kitchen door. "I suspect he was used for experiments before disappearing and living here. All I know is that he isn't exactly sane."_

_Kisame thought it over for a moment. "He must have valuable information if you're still keeping him alive."_

"…_It's questionable." _

_At this Kisame grinned at the kids joke. But suddenly his grin vanished as a bloody scream echoed through the room and a loud clash of pots followed. Kisame and Itachi instinctively stood to their feet and waited for anything in case there was an ambush, but only silence followed. _

_Kisame looked around then to Itachi. "You want to leave now?"_

"_Hn." Instead of walking away like Kisame had expected, the Uchiha walked to the kitchen before opening the door slightly. _

_Kisame opened his mouth to tell him to leave them until they were finished, but Itachi had suddenly disappeared into the kitchen, clearly in a hurry to something. _

"_Eh, what now," Kisame whined as he slung Samehada over his shoulder and followed into the kitchen where there was another clash and a yell from an angry man followed by a string of curses. Kisame blinked and his strides grew as he rushed faster until he opened the door to see Hani lying on the ground, half naked with a dark bruise forming across her cheek. Her hands held tightly to her throat that was bleeding profusely and a sick gurgle left her lips followed by a crimson bubble that popped before more blood leaked from her mouth. As he rushed to her side, he noticed that there was a gash from a knife across her bare stomach that leaked blood to pool across the floor. _

_Just around the corner of a table was Itachi holding the father against the wall. Foraku had a blade through his stomach and a senbon perfectly through his throat that pinned him to the wall finished with cold clouded eyes. So the bastard was spending some quality time with Itachi in his mind…_

_Taking of his cloak, he draped it over the woman and tried to put pressure against her wound in her stomach until Itachi stepped away from the trembling man until the blonde stopped all movement. Looking back, Kisame glared to see the dead blonde with his pants to his ankles. _

"_He was trying to rape her," Itachi said coldly as he kneeled next to the shivering woman on the ground. _

_Kisame said nothing, for once at a lost for words. It was men like that who had made Kisame who he was. Who had made Kakuzu, Itachi, Pein, and Konan who they are…_

_And to think that this is what Leader had wanted to rid the world of…_

"_P-please…I know I-won't make it…Pl-lease make it quick…" begged the woman through gurgles of blood to Itachi. _

_Crimson eyes stayed cold as he shifted his weight until her head rested in his lap. Slowly he placed a hand on either side of her face but pause as blood coated nails grabbed his sleeve. "F-find Ranuke and….tell him that I love…him…"_

_Itachi blinked and looked her one last time in the eyes before he snapped her neck, leaving her lifeless corpse where she lay._

"_I hope you got the needed information," Kisame stated, not sure what to think of Itachi for a moment. _

"_I retrieved it before he died."_

_Itachi stood to his feet and walked to the back door of the kitchen, where the woman had entered. Kisame glanced down at the two bodies before following out into the bright sunlight and once again into the busy streets. _

"The bastard," Sakura growled out.

Kisame blinked. "Itachi?"

"No, the fucked up guy," she said as she rolled her eyes.

"Oh…yeah, I'd say that describes him," Kisame grinned.

"I thought it was going to be a happy story…" she pouted.

Kisame shook his head and shrugged. "Depends on how you look at it I guess. You can see him as a killer or you can see him as a man who has been down a few dark paths." He shifted his weight and leaned back again in his chair. "On thing you have to know, kitten, is that there are two types of criminals. There are those who started off bad and those like the slimy snake bastard that just have it in them."

"That makes sense…." She said quietly. "Gaara had started off bad and everyone thought of him like he was a monster…But he turned out to be one of the kindest guys I know…"

Kisame said nothing as he seemed to be lost in thought. Sakura wasn't far behind him. Guilt was a bitch as far as she was concerned…But still she knew what she had to do.

"Well, I'm gonna turn in for the night," Kisame said as stood up and walked to the hallway. "Feel free to train with both of us in the morning, kitten."

"Wait."

Kisame looked over to her. "Did you guys ever find Ranuke and tell him?"

Kisame looked down slightly. "No."

**Wohoo! That was a tough one. I really don't know why I had a hard time with it. Actually I do. I got an idea that Sakura could have a secret and totally bad ass bloodline that could add to some other's interest, but then I stopped. It's up to the reviewers whether they want her to have something unique about her or not. **

**As for the story/flashback…It kinda shows Itachi with twisted morals. He makes good choices and bad and in the end saves the girl, but leaves the body and never tells her lover so it can go either way. I didn't want to make it too sappy and good but too bad of him either. Confused? Sorry!**

**Anyway please review and let me know if Sakura should get a bloodline or not. I guess I could do a poll….Ok I take that back! I'll put up a poll on my profile so let me know please!!! **

**Thanks again!**


	7. New Boundaries

**Sorry! I had computer problems! It completely crashed and burned…and I've been out of town for the past two weeks, sooooo…….yeah but enough about the past…Let's get down to it! Just a warning, though, this is a filler chapter. You may or may not like it and I apologize, but it is needed. ….I don't know…I think it's pretty awesome…Lol**

**Disclaimer….Yup I own nothing! **Goes and sulks in a corner****

Sakura sighed as she walked through the apartment once again and just like the previous time, she found it empty of the two Shinobi. Did they really go out that early to train?

**Well it isn't exactly "early",** reminded inner.

Another sigh left Sakura again. Inner was right. All night she had tossed and turned, not able to get any sleep. By the time she actually got out of bed, she realized that she had slept in till 7:20am. _Of course_ the two would be out training, but hey, she could dream. The only thing that made it worse was the fact that she had absolutely no idea where they were.

With her head bent low, she walked back to the kitchen. "Might as well get something to eat…" She opened the refrigerator and scanned the semi-empty shelves with the exception of left overs from the night before and extra sake bottles.

"What is wrong with them?" she asked aloud but stopped and blinked as emerald eyes landed on an opened bottle. Of course any other time she would have looked over it but then again, any other time there wouldn't be a note sticking from the top.

_Strange…_ She pulled the bottle out and examined it before pulling the note out carefully and unrolling it.

_Kitten,_

_I knew I liked ya! Sake is the best way to start the morning, eh?! Sorry we left early but if ya wanted to train then we'll be on the outside of the gates 500 yards from the west side._

_See ya!_

_P.S. Bring me a bottle when ya come._

Sakura smiled to herself and shook her head. There was _definitely_ something wrong with them. Quickly, she closed the door and rushed back to her room where she grabbed her kunai bag and katana. With one last glance in the mirror, she pulled her hair into a high pony tail and rushed back through the hall to the living room.

**Don't forget the bottle!**

Sakura blinked and ran back to the kitchen to get Kisame's drink. It really wasn't anything new. After all, she always brought an extra bottle with her when she knew she had a hard days training with Tsunade….The truth was that it made the lessons go a lot smoother…

Once she was sure she had every thing, she did once last glance around the room before locking the door behind her and heading towards the gates of Konoha.

Not wanting to waste time, she took to the roof tops and summoned chakra to her feet; not much, only enough for her to gain speed but still remain undetectable from other teams that were training. It was one of her tricks that Kakashi had taught her. Many had a hard time mastering it while the rest never stood a chance. The perfect amount of chakra had to be distributed evenly in each foot while still staying under the radar of other shinobi. It took a large amount of chakra control, which Sakura found easy.

To tell you the truth, even Kakashi was impressed at how quickly she had mastered it. Though he knew he shouldn't be too surprised seeing as she was nearly as good in skill as Tsunade. Still, he admired the way she had developed her skills from when she was the 12 year old girl.

Of course this brought out a few things to Sakura's mind. The Anbu exams were supposed to be any day now and she desperately wanted to be signed up. It was all up to what Kakashi thought in the end. She knew that he had faith in her and was impressed with her progress, but she was still behind in her Ninjutsu and sword play. Kakashi had told her earlier that with the new teams, they wouldn't be able to practice one-on-one as much, which inevitably led to him subtly hinting that Itachi and Kisame were perfect for helping in both departments.

Sakura sighed once again as she landed quietly onto another roof. She had been having an inner conflict with that. The team arrangements were….stressful on her. Already she had managed to piss off Itachi to the point that Kisame had mentioned it the night before. She knew she had went too far with the accusations, but after the story that Kisame had told her, she couldn't even bring herself to feel any anger towards him at all. Don't get her wrong. She was far from pitying him all the same. It was a numb feeling….Something that she would place under the "embarrassment" category if she had to.

She had to apologize, but thinking it was much different then walking up to the stoic man and actually saying it. She could only imagine those piercing scarlet eyes staring at her in a deadly gaze.

A chill racked her spine just thinking about it and she tried to push the thoughts aside. Maybe she didn't have to apologize…maybe she could end up taking them out to dinner as a treat and then have them forget all about it….

"That may work," she said slowly.

After all, it would be a lot easier then taking a blow to her ego and apologizing for what she said, though she did make valid points in the argument….

**I think you're getting off track. Even if you made good points, that doesn't mean that you went about it the right way.**

That was sadly true.

"Damn…"

She guessed that was the end of it. She would have to apologize when the time came, but as for knowing how to go about it, she would rather cross that bridge when she came to it. Emerald eyes looked up to see the gates of Konoha getting closer. Obviously, the metaphoric bridge was just on the other side.

Sakura took a deep breath and pushed off faster. There was something else that bothered her. Seeing as kakashi was going to be busy with Tobi, she would…regrettably…..have to ask Itachi for help…

Could she do it?

She was nearly positive that she couldn't. There was just no way.

**Well good luck with that….**

Emerald eyes rolled at inner. "You're a lot of help."

**I try. **

Sakura shook her head and landed onto the ground in front of the gate.

"Hey Sakura! I didn't sense you coming!" greeted Kotetsu.

Izumo looked out from where he sat by the gate and grinned. "What are you up to?"

"Hey guys," she smiled. "I was just on my way out to train."

"Oh yeah," Izumo said slowly. "You were reassigned a new team, weren't you?"

"Yeah. Don't remind me."

"If you want to train with us anytime then don't hesitate to join in. It would be a lot of fun," Kotetsu grinned.

"Maybe next time," she waved as she took to the trees and left the two alone once again.

"How long do you think, till one of the Akatsuki is in the hospital from one of her punches?" Izumo asked aloud as he watched Sakura disappear through the trees.

Kotetsu scratched his head. "Can't say for sure, but only a matter of time before Hidan is found decapitated by Yamanaka."

Izumo sighed and shook his head knowing that it was sadly true.

*************

Sakura counted her paces as she continued through the tall trees. She hadn't been on the west side and she was curious as to why Itachi had decided to train outside the gates. The training grounds inside were in perfect condition and there were enough of them that you didn't need to worry about others interfering.

Then again, the Uchiha was a bit anti-social.

The sudden rise of chakra brought her crashing from her thoughts as she realized that she was near her team. She stopped along a wide branch and could feel Itachi and Kisame trading attacks through a few trees.

"Ok….Time to head down there…." She said slowly, willing herself to take a few steps to meet with them……..

Before she knew it, her feet had taken her behind a large tree as she peered through thick leaves down at the two Akatsuki. _Grrrrr! Why can't I just suck it up and go down there?!_ She thought angrily.

Itachi ducked under a heavy swing from Kisame before flickering from his spot only to appear 20 ft away. Kisame grinned and jumped behind the calm Uchiha before striking again only for Itachi to jump above the blade and land on it safely.

Emerald eyes widened as she pushed more leaves from her view in the tree. How was Itachi able to stand on the blade without getting hurt? From what Kakashi had said, the blade sucked out your chakra and it wasn't exactly pleasant. On the contrary, it was like the blade was shaving your skin off just to get to your chakra….Ouch.

But Itachi merely jumped from the blade in a back flip and landed away safely.

"Keh," Kisame scoffed and lifted Samehada over his shoulder. "I still can't figure out how you managed to do that…."

"Don't expect to learn the trick today…" Itachi said calmly and looked up to Kisame, "or any other day for that matter."

Kisame frowned lightly, but shook his head and the grin was back. "That's fine. I'll figure it out on my own."

"We'll see if you can."

Sakura blinked at the conversation. Itachi and Kisame had their own bond it seemed. It was a small banter, but it was still something she never would have suspected between them. Then again Kisame always seemed to be more of a bronze then brains sort, which she found out, was wrong from the short conversations that she had. He was well educated and had his own opinions, much like her previous team mates.

It was only common sense that he and Itachi would have built a friendly connection seeing as they were team mates for years, not to mention that their lives depended on the each other in missions.

She scowled as she watched them dodge a few different attacks nimbly. Suddenly, she felt like she was out of the circle. Three always was a crowd, right? It looked like she had a lot of work cut out for her….

**Looks like the tables are turned….**

Inner was right. That seemed to be happening a lot these days. Not only did Sakura think that the two men would have a hard time fitting in, she also thought that they would be the ones coming to her more then anything. Not vise versa. What the Hell?!

By the time she was through with this, she wouldn't have an ego left!

"Kisame…"

The calm voice shook her from her sulk and she looked down in surprise to see Itachi under her tree.

"Huh?" Kisame grunted from the other side of the clearing as he pulled Samehada forcefully from the ground where he had missed Itachi.

"Did Haruno ever say that she was willing to train with us?"

Sakura held her breath as she tensed. Did he know she was there? Or was he really concerned if she wanted to train?.......No that couldn't be it. He probably was still angry with her from the argument that they had.

Kisame seemed to be just as puzzled before he recovered from his pause. Who could blame him? It was a random question. "Uh, she did say that she was wanting to, but she was still asleep when we left. The kitten probably forgot about it already."

"…Hn."

"Why do you ask?"

"….Curious." He flickered away from his spot and appeared in front of Kisame who barely managed to block the thirsty kunai. The dark haired man shifted his weight into his foot and sent a kick that collided into Kisame's side, forcing the Mist-nin to stumble backwards.

Itachi went into the kill and put two slender fingers to his mouth before blowing a huge fire ball in his teammate's direction.

Kisame gave a toothy grin and forced the water from a nearby river to intercept the blazing fire making a large _crack!_ from the impact that deflected both jutsus. Hot steam burst from the attack and clouded the clearing from each ninjas' vision.

Sakura strained her eyes, trying all she could to see what would happen next. The heat from the steam clung to her, but she ignored it as her vision cleared enough for her to make out Kisame.

Suddenly her breathing hitched in her throat as warm breath fanned over the back of her neck. Her eyes widened and she reached her hand towards her kunai pouch, but a strong grip wrapped around her wrist before she was dragged to the forest floor. Before she could even blink, she was pushed into a tree with bark scrapping the front of her shirt and a body up against her back. Her arm was twisted painfully behind her where the hand holding her threatened to break her wrist.

"What's this? Pretending now are we?" Itachi questioned close to her ear.

"No!" Sakura hissed. She struggled to get out from his grasp but he only tightened it. Emerald eyes looked over her shoulder meeting his amused gaze which was much closer then she felt comfortable with, but she refused to show it. "Let go."

"…."

"Are you deaf now? I said let go!"

"I heard you the first time."

She paused in her struggles. "Then what's your problem?"

"You seem to know so much about me, _Doctor_," he answered as he added a cold tone when he said the last word. "Why don't you tell me?"

Sakura clenched her teeth and was about to retort when Kisame stood next to them. "Hey, kitten," he greeted as if she wasn't being held to a tree by Itachi. "Did ya bring the thing I asked from you?"

Sakura lowered her gaze to her feet where glass was shattered from when she was pulled from the tree. Kisame's uplifted attitude sank, but he just scratched the back of his head. "That's a damn shame."

"It wasn't my fault," she hissed through clenched teeth. For good measure, she tossed a heated glare at Itachi who hadn't taken his eyes from her. It was then that Sakura realized that he hadn't been using his sharringan. Instead he stared at her with blank clouded eyes. She felt the anger leave her and guilt began to seep through. After the argument, she had completely forgotten the severity of his sight not to mention that she couldn't even imagine how he was able to fight blindly. It wasn't like it was an easy task to just learn to fight without your sight as a guide. How was he able to do it? She hadn't even noticed that he couldn't see when she watched him fight Kisame….. And Orochimaru; he hadn't even noticed that Itachi was blind. If she hadn't worked on his eyes once already, there was no way she would've known.

"It's not polite to stare, Haruno."

Sakura blinked when she realized that she had been watching him. A small _eek!_ leaked from her lips at the lack of space between them and she felt her cheeks turn red. She knew it was a pointless battle to try and hide her blush, so instead she chose to work with it. "I wasn't staring! Maybe you should take your own advice!"

At this Itachi chuckled and spun her so her back was against the tree. This didn't help her blush as it grew brighter. With a quick glance towards Kisame, she saw him sitting at the base of a near by tree as if it was an everyday thing, with Samehada lying across his lap.

Suddenly, a hand gripped her chin firmly and pulled her face to his. Emerald stared into a clouded onyx and an amused smirk curled his lips. It was then that it dawned on her that she was all alone with two S-class criminals in a forest outside of any help from other Konoha ninja….

Itachi was finding this very entertaining. The kunoichi had captured his attention and the more short encounters they had, the harder it became to figure her out. She was definitely different then other kunoichis….other Konoha ninja, for that matter.

"Why are you here, kunoichi?" he questioned as he leaned forward just enough to take away another layer of comfort.

Sakura swallowed. "I _was_ going to train with Kisame."

"Is that so?" His tone was that of disinterest.

"Yeah, so if you would just let me go-"

"Kisame." Itachi's tone changed to a deeper volume but his gaze didn't waver.

The Mist-nin glanced up with a toothy grin in place. He was finding this very interesting. Of course, Sakura obviously didn't feel like that, but as far as he was concerned, they needed to get along and work it out. He had absolutely no intentions of playing peace keeper. "Yeah?"

"Did you and Haruno have a date for training?" The way he said it only made Sakura blush more. What was with her?

Kisame, though, didn't answer right away. Instead he seemed to ponder it for a few seconds before shaking his head; his normal grin turning mischievous. "Nope."

Sakura tore her face away from Itachi and stared incredulously at the blue ninja before Itachi pulled her chin back to look at him.

"Actually," Kisame added as an after thought. "She said that she was wanting to train with you…"

Itachi's smirk twitched at the corner of his lips and his eyes started to slowly bleed to crimson.

"You're a damn liar! I thought we made a deal that you would help me-not Itachi!" Sakura called out in panic.

"Hmmm…..No," he said with another shake of his head. "I don't remember any of that…"

Itachi's smirk grew just enough for Sakura to notice. "So what kind of training were you interested in?"

Sakura's blush intensified and all it did was add fuel to the fire for Itachi.

It was an encouragement to continue.

"I-I don't want help…I was just trying to make our team stronger…"

"Oh?" he leaned forward more. "And how do we do that?"

"Stop mocking me!"

"I'm not mocking anyone," he replied with a tilt of his head.

"What do you want?" she tried to push him away, but he only gripped her other wrist. "Do you want me to apologize? Fine! I'm sorry for what I said to you last night; it wasn't right."

**There, that wasn't so bad….**

"Don't apologize. It's a sign of weakness," he said quietly.

_Don't apologize? I thought that was what he wanted! Damn it! How do I get out of it?_

Sakura tried to pull her hand away, but his grip was firm. "Let go."

"What will you do if I refuse?" His Sharringan began to spin lightly.

"You don't want to know…"

"I wouldn't have asked otherwise…"

Kisame grinned at the challenge.

"Fine," she said quietly. She knew what she was up against. But training with Kakashi wasn't for nothing. Itachi was trying to read her movements, to try and figure her out. Sad thing was that she had learned to make her moves random…. "You've been warned."

Before anyone could blink, she poofed in a cloud of smoke, leaving the cloud to dissolve through his fingertips. Not a split second later, did she appear behind him while tossing a punch to his back only to meet the same smoke. _Substitution!_

Kisame stayed where he was at and watched happily from the side lines—though a bottle of Sake would've made the late morning perfect.

Emerald eyes glanced around the trees quickly, allowing her gaze to linger on a few branches. Not wanting to be caught, she flickered from her spot and disappeared from the clearing, leaving Kisame to look around for either of the hiding ninja.

Sakura hid her chakra from Itachi as she stayed in a high branch. Itachi could hardly see, so that meant that he relied more on chakra signatures. The only thing was that it was him who had found her-not Kisame. He must have a very sensitive system if he could pick that up and it only made her wonder if she was _truly_ safe….

There was a cold breeze that raked through the leaves, threatening to expose her, but she ignored the teasing wind and watched the clearing. The seconds ticked by until they bled to minutes. Her patience was running thin and the longer she stayed there, the more her nerves seem to knot like a scary movie when she just knew something was going to pop out.

This was more stressful then a real mission!

To be honest, she felt like she was being hunted. After all that was what Uchiha Itachi was. He was the predator—never the prey.

Perhaps she should show him the other side of things….

Too late--

"There is no safe place…" Warm breath tickled the hair on the back of her neck as he whispered in her ear.

Before he could get a grip around her, she twisted from the branch and landed not so gracefully on the forest floor with leaves and a few nimble branches falling around her. Emerald eyes looked up just in time to see a fire ball hurling towards her, making her only option to jump out of the way just as it crashed to the ground where she stood only seconds ago. She sighed in relief, but it was short lived. Before she could fully get a breath, he was on her in a heartbeat.

His speed caught her off guard as a punch met her ribs followed by a kick towards her face that she managed to block with her arms, but it was meaningless as she was tossed backwards into a tree. Shifting her weight, the pink-haired kunoichi caught her balance only to meet a flurry of fire balls hurled at her. She ducked under one-then two when the third hit her in the arm, burning her bicep. She held back a scream as more fire rained down on her, giving her a view where Itachi was in the middle of the clearing.

She had never fought the Uchiha before. In fact, she had only seen Kakashi and Naruto fight a few times, but even then, Itachi didn't seem to break a sweat. How was she supposed to keep up with him? He was supposed to be the type to stand in one place as he attacked! Not searching her out like a rabid wolf!

By this point, she pulled her katana from the sheath on her back and summoned chakra to the blade as she deflected each fireball with a wave of chakra, forcing the fire to split in half before dissolving into nothing. Each swing she charged more energy to it until she split the last, leaving Itachi staring patiently at her; his expression blank.

Sakura turned her gaze to his chin, refusing to meet his crimson gaze, fearing he would pull her into the subconscious.

Itachi wasn't a fool. He knew what she was doing. Instead, he slowly raised a hand, attracting Sakura's attention, just like planned. Before she had time to let it register, Itachi faded into crows that slowly flapped their wings in rhythm to the sky.

"Damn it!" she gasped and gripped her sword tighter as the crows dived towards her. One by one the speed increased until she was facing shuriken that were once birds. Panicked by the unpredictable attack, she raised her sword to block the weapons that she couldn't dodge. Spin, duck, flip, left, spin, spin, block….again and again.

Her breathing was becoming ragged and she finally stopped while managing a glare at Itachi. Her ribs ached and she could feel blisters forming on her bicep from the fire.

Itachi saw her glare and smirked cunningly. The pink-haired kunoichi opened her mouth to bite out a comment, but stopped when a sudden dizziness over came her. Looking to her hand with her katana, emerald eyes widened as she recognized the arm as Naruto's. Before she could say anything, she saw a blonde lock fall into her face and she realized that her face was turning into Ino.

That's when it hit her that she was in a genjutsu. Clenching her eyes shut, she dropped her katana and pushed her hands together in a new sign that she had created when she was in Suna.

Itachi watched in amusement. She wasn't panicking like he had expected, though he was curious as to what she would do once she realized that it was pointless to try and fight it. She didn't seem like the type to specialize in genjutsu or ninjutsu. Judging by the fight so far, her strength was in hand-to-hand as well as healing. It was still a valuable addition to their team, but it only meant that she was much weaker then he gave her credit for….

Emerald eyes hid behind dark lashes as her hands were sent into a flurry of signals. A light blue glow surrounded her as she tried to stay focus and gather enough chakra, after all, she remembered the last time Itachi had used this trick on Naruto and even with the Nine-tail's chakra, he still needed Sakura's and Chiyo's help for him dispel it.

Kisame watched in interest, wondering how long she would last in the genjutsu. Imagine his surprise when the glow grew brighter.

Itachi's smirk slowly diminished as he watched Sakura finish her last hand sign. "Release!"

Suddenly a breeze pushed past him and Kisame, dispelling the genjutsu, followed by a wave of smoke.

Itachi raised an arm to block the forceful wind from his eyes until everything stilled. Looking around, the now empty clearing, he frowned ever so slightly and furrowed his brows.

She had dispelled his genjutsu….Clearly, he had underestimated her. The stoic man had yet met a shinobi who was able to dispel it without help from team mates or a bloodline which meant that her genjutsu level was surprisingly high…..But there was no doubt in his mind that she wasn't skilled in Ninjutsu.

"Well that was unexpected," Kisame commented, but Itachi ignored him and searched for her chakra.

This only puzzled him. She was gone but her chakra was spread everywhere as if she was right in front of him, or behind….There weren't any main sources like it would be if she had clones, so where was she?

"Clever girl," he said quietly. Obviously she figured that hiding her chakra only made him find her fast, but if she pushed chakra everywhere in even amounts then he wouldn't be able to tell where the trail began and ended.

Itachi took a few steps forward, hoping to bluff and make her believe that he had found her. If the plan worked then she would grow nervous and loose concentration on her chakra-giving her position away… But she only stayed hidden; calling his bluff in a challenge.

Silently, he sent a clone to search the trees for her while he tried to find a trail in her charka. Another cool breeze wrapped around him and he relaxed as it pushed past his t-shirt and the warm sun beat down on them.

After a few minutes of searching, his clone came up empty handed and poofed away. This didn't ease Itachi's thoughts. She obviously was still there somewhere, but nowhere to be found….

Was this a trick? Or was she just that good at hiding?

"What is she playing at?" he said under his breath.

Sakura watched with intense green eyes as Itachi continued to pick at his thoughts with what was happening. She couldn't help but feel proud at her clever nature. Both of them were intelligent, but he obviously forgot that she was put in charge of his current weakness….his eyes. If he could see clearly then this jutsu would have never worked. Funny to say, but she had actually placed a getjutsu on an Uchiha….Then again….it only worked because he was underestimating her. The previous hand seals that she used before she actually dispelled his attack were only to place HER genjutsu over his. Therefore, when she released his, then her cover up would already be in place, making it seem like it was all normal. Fight fire with fire.

With her mood lifted, she slowly pushed through the bushes as she walked toward Itachi, knowing that he couldn't see through her genjutsu. As she was nearly to him, she reached to the ground and pulled her katana to her before stopping behind the Uchiha. At this time, she couldn't keep the grin from pulling at her lips as she raised the blade. With a quick slice down, she hit her mark………….or not seeing as the blade embedded itself deeply into the ground.

Emerald eyes blinked in confusion when suddenly, an arm wrapped around her waist from behind and a hand gripped her throat. Another deep wave pushed past them as Sakura's jutsu was dispelled and she found herself being held in a firm grip by the targeted Uchiha.

"What kind of kunoichi can't hide from a blind man," he asked in a low tone that sent a short shiver down her spine.

"What kind of Uchiha get's hung up on a genjutsu?" she growled out and twisted her katana to try and stab him, by the hand holding her throat just swatted it from her grasps before returning.

"…You're playing with fire, Haruno."

"No kidding."

Kisame's deep laughter cut through the clearing and he slapped his knee with a hand. "You two are getting along great! I love these new teams!"

Itachi smirked, feeling like he had to agree with him to an extent.

"Well that makes one of you!" Sakura grinded out as she tried the get out of his grasp only for him to tighten his hold.

"What now?" He leaned closer to her. "What does a kunoichi do when she has no other options?"

Sakura twisted her neck enough to see him through one eye; his face only inches from her. "I have a lot of options left."

This seemed to be the answer he was looking for because no sooner did it leave her lips did she find herself thrown onto the ground, knocking the wind out of her. Sakura blinked as Itachi straddled her hips and held both of her hands in a vice grip.

_How the hell did he do that?! It was so fast!_

**Ooooohhh….this is Hot!**

_Shut up!_

All she heard was a giggling in the back of her mind until it seemed to melt into a deeper chuckle, bringing her back to reality as Itachi leaned down above her.

Emerald eyes widened as she tensed, knowing that she didn't like where this was going.

"How many options do you have now?"

Sakura swallowed.

"Every kunoichi is trained in this at some point…What. Do. You. Do?" he said the last part in a slow, quiet tone-challenging her.

Sakura turned her head away from him, refusing to look into his crimson eyes. She knew what he was talking about, but she refused to do it….Absolutely no way in Hell!

Itachi was growing impatient and he pulled a kunai from his pouch with his free hand.

Sakura turned her eyes warily to the blade. "Are you going to stab with that if I don't do it?" she questioned hatefully.

"Perhaps."

"Perhaps?!"

"If I was an enemy and you were in this position, then would you hesitate?"

"Yes-I mean no….uhh….."

"Sounds like you both need to find out…." Kisame grinned.

Sakura tossed a deadly glare his way. "Will you just shut up?! You're not helping!"

A cool blade touched her cheek and pushed her face back to look at him. "Focus on me," he said quietly.

Sakura tried to hide her panic and to calm her nerves. She was in over her head….No that was an understatement. She was scared out of her wits. All she wanted was for this to stop. "….You win."

Itachi blinked slowly but didn't move.

"Don't give up now, kitten-it was just getting interesting," chuckled Kisame.

Sakura ignored him and waited for Itachi to get off of her.

After a small second, Itachi closed his eyes for a moment before opening to reveal the Mangekyo. A new layer of sweat and fear pulsed through her skin. Was he really going to use that on her?

"W-what are you doing," she asked with a hint of fear leaking into her voice.

"If I have to, I'll become your enemy…."

Sakura swallowed and started to buck her hips to push him away, but it was pointless. "Let go! I said you win!"

The crimson turned darker and Sakura knew he wasn't bluffing. As the man leaned down, to drag her into her mind, his onyx hair curtained over his shoulder and lightly tickled Sakura's collar bone. Her mind was spinning and she couldn't seem to tear her eyes from the deadly crimson…..

"….Uh…I'm I interrupting something?" asked a new voice.

Sakura blinked and tried to look behind Itachi to see her savior but it was useless.

"What is it, Kakashi?" Itachi asked without looking away from the emerald.

Sakura felt another chill shake her spine, but kept it from showing. Itachi's voice was once again cold and even.

"I have to speak with Sakura…..so if you don't mind, I'd rather not have to squeeze between you to do so…"

"You need to be that close to her?" Kisame scoffed. Leave it to the copy-cat ninja to ruin the fun.

"Not exactly," Kakashi grinned under his mask and scratched the back of his head. "But I don't think she wants you to know about the….finals…"

Hearing finals, all panic and worry washed away as relief crashed over her. "Finals? You mean-"

"Yup…" Kakashi grinned as he walked over to stand next to a displeased Itachi who still hadn't moved. The white-haired ninja didn't seem to take notice and crouched next to them as he tilted his head to see Sakura better. "The finals are in two days and you're in….Just keep it between you and me…"

"Finals?" Kisame asked as he stood up from his spot and walked to them "What are the finals?"

Sakura and Kakashi didn't answer him. Mainly Sakura was starting to feel the panic swell once again. "I don't think I'm ready, though…"

Kakashi smiled under his mask. "I wouldn't have put you in if I didn't think you were, besides…." He looked to Itachi whose face was cold as he examined Sakura who was still under him. "You seem to have good teachers to help you."

Before anyone could ask anything else of the white haired nin, he disappeared in a small poof.

It was silent for a few minutes until Kisame broke it with a scoff. "That guy's different."

Sakura met Itachi's stare and looked back with an expression he couldn't read. It was vise versa as well as she stared at his blank face. Clearly he was deep in thought over something….What was going on in that man's head?

"I still need to work on your eyes today," she said quietly, all hostility and fear absent.

Itachi examined her for a second before deciding that she was being honest and not trying to get away from him. He stood up while pulling her to her feet gently. Sakura looked to him and gave him a smile that was between embarrassment and nervousness. The Uchiha only blinked slowly before walking away towards Konoha with Kisame and Sakura in tow.

_That was strange…._

**Why didn't you kiss him?! Damn it!**

_Shut up! I never asked for your input! _

There was only silence; leaving the obvious that inner was off fuming.

The thing about being a kunoichi was that you were trained to use your body in certain positions. She was trained and she was good, but never had she need to put those skills to actual use. Ino, on the other hand, had experience behind her, leaving her charms to be put to use on special missions. Sakura envied that part of Ino. Instead, she acted like a shy little girl when she was fricken 19 years old! Give her something to do with violence and she'd do it in a heart beat….give her something like a seduction mission and she would get cold feet and turn into pudding.

How embarrassing…..

She looked up to Itachi's back and scowled.

She didn't want to kiss him anyway…..

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**I think that's a good place to leave this chapter! I know it was short, but next time will be a long one…..Now remember that this is slow to start off with but it will eventually take off and when it does, then be ready!**

**Thanks for those who have reviewed that I still haven't gotten back with…Like I said, I was very busy and my computer died!**

**Please review and tell me what you think. I'll be updating more regularly unless it dies again and the poll is still up for those who haven't voted yet!! **

**Ja ne! d-_-b '' ' ' '' (listening to music)**


	8. Into the Forest again

**Yup yup yup!! Thanks for all the great reviews…I'll get right to the story and it is another filler. There will be a few more before we really set into the action!**

_Thoughts/dream/flashbacks_

**Disclaimer…Nothing mine to be…If I owened this then would the Akatsuki be dead?.....Pssh! Hell No!**

Tap-tap-tap…………..tap-tap-tap………….

Sakura gave an exasperated sigh as she tapped her fingers in a rhythm along the table top. She shifted her weight in her chair and her scowl deepened. It didn't take a genius to know that there was something bothering her. In short, she had been nervous as hell about the finals the next day. Even when she had been attending to Itachi's eyes (only hours after the incident in the training grounds) she hadn't been able to fully focus, which didn't set well with the Uchiha.

_Kakashi smiled under his mask. "I wouldn't have put you in if I didn't think you were ready…"_

Over and over again did Kakashi's words replay in her mind. _So he really does have faith in my skills…_

She felt proud, to say the least. After all these years of him still thinking that she was the same twelve year old girl, she had finally showed him that she didn't need to be saved.

Tap-tap-tap……..

She placed a hand under her chin and heaved a sigh once again; her thoughts turning to something else that had puzzled her. She recalled the incident in detail…

_Sakura hovered over Itachi with her fingertips resting lightly on his temples. Aside from the few sharp retorts and comments between her and Kisame, she had been relatively quiet; clearly deep in thought over what Kakashi had reported to her. _

_During the walk home, Itachi had snuck a few glances behind him only to see Sakura with a distant look in her eyes and her head bent. _

_He couldn't help but wonder what was going through her head. It wasn't like he routinely met a person where they were a puzzle for him to put together…It just wasn't natural._

_Even as she started easing the pain from his exhausted muscles in his temples, she stayed oblivious to his stares. Only the day before was it that she had to keep her eyes shut to block out the piercing black gaze. _

_But he didn't comment on it…It was a refreshing game to try and learn about her; something that he didn't tire of. _

_However, what did bother him was the fact that she would stare off, as if having an internal battle before he would have to shift or "hn" to get her attention. Finally it got to the point where he knew it was useless. _

"_Go get your sandals," he said as he sat up from the bed and pulled her hands from his temples. _

_For a moment, the glassiness disappeared from her eyes and her mouth gaped open and closed like a fish-completely confused as to why Itachi had stopped the session mid-way. It was clear that she was unaware of her lack of focus. _

"_Wh-what? B-but I'm not done yet…." Came from her lips once she found it in her to form coherent words. _

"_Clearly," he said shortly and walked to the door of his room before holding it open and looking impatiently towards her. _

"…_what?"_

"_Would you rather stay here?" _

_Sakura blinked and stood up rather quickly before rushing out of his room and into the kitchen. _

"_Where's the fire, kitten?" Kisame chuckled. _

"_I…um…Itachi said we were leaving…"_

"_Where to?" _

_Before she could answer, Itachi stepped into the living room still wearing a solid grey t-shirt and dark pants. "Let's go…" _

Sakura glanced over at Itachi who stared blankly at the sky above him. When he had told her that they were leaving, she had expected him to go out to train again….nothing that had to do with him leading them to a "small hole in the wall" restaurant…if you would call it such.

She wasn't complaining. In fact she was sort of grateful. That morning she had completely skipped out on breakfast and would have been the same for lunch and dinner as well.

But that only frustrated her more…Was Uchiha Itachi supposed to be the type that looked out for his team mate's health? At first glance, the answer would have been "no"--Maybe even a "Hell no"…But now….

Now she wasn't so sure….

Again emerald eyes risked a glance to him, but he was still staring at the sky, admiring the crisp air and scattered stars.

She had to admit, that a diner under the stars with her new team was a great idea of a bonding experience…..Too bad she didn't think of it…

**Yeah, **Inner scoffed. **Too bad…**

Sakura resisted rolling her eyes. Ever since training, Inner had been pissed for her chickening out on kissing Uchiha Itachi…

Tap-tap-tap…..tap-tap-tap….

"H-hi," greeted a short haired brunette waitress who stood above Sakura. "Is there anything I can get for you?"

Sakura noticed a nervous glance the waitress tossed towards Kisame and Itachi, but she chalked it up to them being S-class criminals. The pink-haired girls couldn't blame her though…You would be crazy not to fear them.

"I would like a—" she began before she was rudely interrupted.

"She wants a Comso, and I'll take a Sake," Kisame grunted to the waitress who scribbled it down rapidly, making it well known that she was terrified.

She looked expectantly to Itachi who had taken his eyes away from the stars. "Tea…Jasmine."

"H-hai..I'll have it right out…" and with that, the waitress scurried away from their table.

"Sorry kitten, but with the way you've been actin' I figured you would need something pretty strong," Kisame said in an accusing tone. His gaze wasn't short of suspicion as to what had her on edge.

"…Oh…" Sakura wasn't sure what to say to that. Truth be told, Kisame's attitude towards her made her feel nervous. He was definitely intimidating when he made his presence clear especially if he wasn't his cheerful self.

"Well?" he asked, his irritation growing. "What are these finals that the Copy-Cat was talking about?"

"…" Sakura opened her mouth to tell him to mind his own business, but the words wouldn't form. With a nervous glance towards the silent Uchiha, she saw that his focus was now on her, waiting for the answer. Sighing, she reluctantly explained. "Tomorrow is an Anbu test. I've been training for the past five months hoping to get in, but now that I have a chance, I'm not sure if I'm ready."

They stayed quiet for a moment before it was broken by Kisame giving a hearty chuckle. Sakura furrowed her brows angrily taking his laughing as if it was aimed at her. "What are you laughing at?"

Kisame settled down a bit and grinned. "You're teamed with two Akatsuki and were trained with a Sannin. What are you worried about?"

Sakura didn't know what to say. Sure she knew she was talented and had trained hard, but she felt very self conscious about her failing. Itachi seemed to notice this as he examined her.

"Here you are," said the waitress as she sat the drinks down. She gave Itachi his as she pulled her hand away quickly before doing the same with Kisame's. The Mist-nin grinned at her fear giving her a view of his sharp teeth and she jumped loser to Sakura while clumsily sloshing the Cosmo across the table top. "Oh! I'm so sorry! Please forgive me!" she said in a frantic voice as she hastily used her apron to dry the table.

"It's alright." Sakura replied warmly and smiled at the nerve racked waitress. "I wasn't that thirsty anyway."

The waitress paused and looked to Sakura but before she could say anything, Kisame butted in. "I'm not paying for half a drink, kitten. Let her go and get another for you."

Sakura turned an icy glare towards him but he didn't seem effected. "Don't worry about," she began to the waitress.

"N-no. He's right-I'll get you a new one!" The waitress scurried through the tables once again.

"What is wrong with you?" Sakura asked angrily at Kisame.

"One thing you gotta know," he said as he sat forward to stare at her. "I like my alcohol and I want what I pay for."

Sakura's eyes narrowed and she clenched her fist. Itachi saw this and decided to pay close attention.

"You didn't have to be so rude about it!"

"Like it matters!"

"It does matter! Next time, I'll pay for my own drinks so you don't have to worry about wasting your precious money!"

"Don't make me sound like that damn Kakuzu!" His voice rose to draw other's attention to the argument. "I just don't want people to waist their drinks and expect it to be ok!"

"It was your fault! You scared her on purpose!"

"Yeah? So what?"

Sakura had had enough of his complaining and her eyebrow twitched as she raised her fist from under the table. Itachi, though amused at their banter, gripped her wrist firmly, but not too much where she couldn't pull away if she wanted to.

The pink haired kunoichi blinked and emerald eyes looked to him questioningly.

Itachi was partially surprised that she hadn't pulled away but instead relaxed her fist in his grip. "Don't try and change his mind on this. It's pointless."

He slowly released her wrist and sat back only to meet Kisame's blank gaze. Itachi held back a cocky smirk and crossed his arms over his chest.

"H-here you go…" The waitress said in a low whisper and kept her eyes down. "I'm sorry…."

"Don't worry about it," Sakura repeated.

The waitress blushed from embarrassment and turned to go back to a much less scarier table.

Sakura shook her head and stared at her drink. What was she worried about? She knew that she could handle it. Here she went after Orochimaru and Kabuto without thinking twice and held her own for a while there. Surely the exams wouldn't be that bad.

Sighing for the umpteenth time, she pulled her glass to her and took a healthy swig, savoring the fresh alcohol that flowed down her throat. Setting it down, her sigh turned to one of relief as she sat back for their food. She had to admit that Kisame knew how to pick a drink.

"So what type of exam do you have to take?" Kisame asked.

Sakura opened her mouth to answer but closed it when she really wasn't sure.

"It's a skill test. They have a room or secluded are where you have a small mission and you are forced to complete in a time limit." Itachi answered for her. "Giving the mission, it can range from trickery, stealth, stamina, or even loyalty."

"Eh? Well we had it a bit different," Kisame started as Sakura turned her attention back to him. Knowing that she was waiting, he took a drink from his bottle and leaned an arm across the table while the other was swung lazily on the back of his chair. "It was a very similar test from chunnin to Anbu. Pain in the ass too. You had a group of people like you do here except in the test, you had to kill to survive and your opponents were your teammates." He took another swig and set it down onto the table.

Sakura had remembered Zabuza saying that years ago when they were on the bridge. She couldn't imagine what it must've been like. Maybe that was why he drank so much….She couldn't imagine even him being ok with killing his friends at such a young age. What it must have been like. After all he was for the most part polite until it came to fighting or drinking.

Emerald eyes looked to Kisame who took one last drink as a waiter-this time-came over to set down food. Apparently they had been here before because Sakura didn't remember ordering food…

"Dig in kitten." Kisame had already started to eat his food and Sakura glanced at hers. They didn't have to ask her twice before she started to eat as well. It wasn't everyday that she didn't have to eat Ramen.

Itachi looked over to see Sakura take a bite of her food. It was only natural for her to be nervous. Obviously her being teamed with Sasuke didn't help her in her younger years. Her confidence was low and she had to work twice as hard to be where she is today. But he couldn't help but to think that she would make the test. After all, she had tricked him into a genjutsu and he couldn't remember the last time anyone had ever done such a thing. Granted his eyes were never worse but that wasn't an excuse.

Itachi was interested in watching her the next day, but he knew it wasn't allowed. Only the instructors for the test were allowed to go and watch. Still, his curiosity only grew with how well she would work under pressure…Not to mention it would be a good time to see her skills that he had yet to see. Just how strong was she?

***********************************************************

After they had their meal and after the banter between Kisame and Sakura about the tip, they had finally started on their way home. It was nearly 10pm and Sakura was frantic at getting home to sleep but Kisame only laughed at her frantic theories and shook his head-insisting that she would do fine. Then continued to "comfort" her in saying that if she failed, he would barge in there and threaten their lives unless they said she passed.

"No! You can't do that!" Sakura exclaimed as she stepped in front of Kisame, making him stop. "You are not allowed to come! Neither of you are! I'm going to do this on my own and I don't need you to come as my cheerleaders!"

Kisame frowned as she continued to poke him in the chest repeatedly with each sentence. Finally he grabbed her finger and pulled it away from him. "I'm not your cheerleader. If anything you," he emphasized as he poked her back, "would be our cheerleader!"

This only made Sakura scowl deeper. "I am not your cheerleader!"

"You are if I say you are!"

Itachi watched from a few feet away, knowing that this was a respect issue that they would have to work out. He didn't mind of course seeing as he was silently nominated as the leader. It was just something that he had always had since he was 7.

Sakura growled out as she twitched. "Don't make me flick you," she threatened.

The blue man grinned wickedly and leaned down towards Sakura. "Ohhh….That's real scary. If that's how you plan to make it through the exams tomorrow then you're shit outa luck-"

Suddenly, she flicked him in the middle of his forehead sending him tumbling backwards a few feet until he landed roughly on his stomach.

Sakura stuffed her hands on her hips with a pleased smirk as she watched Kisame stumble to his feet while gripping his forehead. Itachi chuckled deeply and Sakura turned to see him looking back at her. She could feel her cheeks warm in a blush but she was grateful that it was dark out.

"Damn kitten! You aren't friendly!" Kisame grumbled as they started back to their apartment.

"Don't complain-I gave you a warning," she pointed.

Kisame didn't say anything, still ticked over her actually getting him down, though he was pleased to know she had more fire in her.

But this only gave him a plan as for revenge for the next day and he couldn't wait to see her face….

*****************************************************************

Sakura sat on the bench outside of the door with shaking hands and tensed shoulders. Damn it that she was still nervous! Not to mention pissed!!! Her nerves where racked and her legs bounced to get the extra energy out while she bit her bottom lip like a child who got caught with a hand in the cookie jar. It had started with the morning and damn her luck for her day starting in utter chaos.

That damn Kisame had "_kindly_" made her breakfast…Cereal, toast, a hot cup of coffee and an apple. He knew she was stressed and had conveniently gone through the effort of not training just to make her a nice meal before going to the exams.

It seemed like an innocent jester; teammates looking out for each others' well being. What had some how slipped from the forefront of her mind was that this brute wasn't exactly the nicest guy out there. One look at the cloak hanging in his closet told you that. Not to mention the sharp grin he let slip while he watched her take the spoon into her mouth again and again.

Not only did he stare at her in fixation, he even asked her, on more then one occasion mind you, how her food tasted. In which she replied with a bright grin, "This is great-thanks!"

Damn it!

It wasn't until she stood up from her breakfast that she felt the sudden effects of a light dizziness fill her that was only associated by alcohol. Emerald eyes had flashed angrily to Kisame who roared with laughter at his little ploy. "What did you put into my food?!!" she had raged, waking Itachi from his reading on the couch.

"Relax kitten," he said in between laughs has he held his sides. "Just some great sake!"

Sake! Sake!!! That four little word would be the death of her with Kisame around!

As she looked to the other five shinobi sitting in the hallway, waiting just like her she couldn't help but let her eyes linger on each one. Calm, cool, collected. Only one other seemed to be slightly unnerved by the way his leg bounced up and down rhythmically. Or maybe he was just bored…Either way Sakura's nerves tightened.

Damn it….

Sighing to herself, she resisted the urge to hold her hand to her mouth to check for any remnants of Sake lingering. Oh he would pay dearly when she was finished with this exam….

"Alright, good morning to you all," said a tall man who walked out from a door that she hadn't noticed open. There was a few mumbles of a reply, but Sakura didn't pay attention as she studied the man.

He was tall and very skinny with short neat brunette hair. Thin framed glasses and a jounin vest that hung open to reveal a green shirt. "I hope you guys had a good night rest because you'll need it." He opened the door and motioned for them to walk in while Sakura resisted a groan.

Kisame would die.

Slowly, she stood to her feet and a diluted dizziness was still there. She panicked slightly as she stared at the door, wondering if she should just turn back now and try in a few weeks. No one else would know that she didn't take the exams seeing as Kakashi was the only one who knew.

**Kisame and Itachi would never let you live it down…**

Sakura let a groan escape her as she watched the last man step through the door and the brunette jounin look to her expectantly.

Her pride wouldn't be able to handle facing the guys without having to kill them at some point..perhaps in their sleep. After all Itachi was nearly blind and if killing him in his sleep didn't work then maybe she could use a justu to cut off his vocal cords when she healed his eyes. She did after all find that she enjoyed his company. As for Kisame, he can stay with the first plan of decapitation…

"Are you wanting to take the test out here, Ms….." he glanced at his charts. "Haruno?"

"Huh? Oh! Sorry," she said apologetically and rushed into the room where the five others stood in a straight line in front of three others who sat proudly in wooden chairs at a long table. The room was small, only coming half the size compared to the Hokage's office. The walls were a crème beige with the exception of the wall behind the table where the three shinobi sat which was only a wall of small monitors that showed what looked like tunnels and others that were the forest.

She walked to one side of the line and waited as the brunette man took his place at the table.

"Welcome to the Anbu exams," greeted a shorter man with a bandana on his head, reminding her of a short Ibiki...with blonde hair. The thought made her smirk and some of her butterflies vanished. "There are only six of you so this will be a very challenging task."

"As you can see, we are the hosts of this exam therefore we will decide if you pass. The final results are going to be just that; final. You are more then welcome to take the exam up to three times. If you have not passed by the third, you are restricted to your current rank," explained the man in the center of the table next to the blonde. He wasn't nearly as pleasant as the previous two and had an air of arrogance to him that Sakura found annoying.

"Yes, so please try your hardest for this test," smiled the brunette warmly. "I would hate to see you stuck at the same level."

The shinobi next to Sakura snorted, but didn't say anything. He was the same one that had the small bounce in his leg from complete boredom and even then, she had to admire his calmness, though he came off a bit cocky. His height was much taller then her as she only came up to his collarbone and his dark black hair hung around his face much like Izumo's.

Feeling her eyes, he glanced over and met her eyes with dark brown. A crooked grin and a wink made her look back to the table with a smirk of her own.

"Your task is simple. You are to find a hidden scroll in the Forest of Death. There are two total. The two who retrieve it and escape pass."

"Of course," smiled the brunette again, ignoring the glare from the angry man who had been talking. "There will be certain risks. Death is _obviously_," he said, stretching the word out, "one of them. We will have a team of medics on guard around the perimeter and if you wish to forfeit then you will send a spark to the sky." He pulled out six long tubes that were small enough to fit in their kunai pouches. "Of course if you forfeit then you are no longer valid to take the exam again—"

"In a mission there are no time outs and there are no forfeits. It's either life or death!" the first arrogant man interrupted.

"Are there any questions?"

A man at the opposite end of Sakura's line spoke. "When is the dead line for the exam?"

"When either both scrolls are retrieved or death of course," smiled the brunette cheerfully. "It's normal for an exam to take up to a week long."

Sakura was becoming wary of the warm hearted brunette man. He seemed a little…..to happy. There was something different about him.

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Sakura once again found herself facing an entrance gate to the forest. They had been split up all around the perimeter, letting each get their own entrance. On each side forest was an instructor from the room before and they waited for the right time before sending the contestants in.

Sakura was lucky enough to get the shorter of the men that had reminded her of Ibiki and she couldn't help but grin at the thought of having the two men stand next to each other. Ibiki would only give her a deadly glare while the short blonde would smile crookedly.

"Are you nervous?" asked the man.

"Yeah a little," she said indifferently, proud that she seemed to keep her cool so far.

"Well it is a survival test so I guess anyone would be nervous."

Sakura said nothing.

"You know," he continued after a moment. "The test can last up to a week but between you and me, its average for it to go on for five days. I think the fastest was 3 days."

"Oh great," she replied sarcastically. "You need to keep that kind of information to yourself."

The man chuckled. "Well I wouldn't mind giving off a small hint as to where the scroll may be but I don't even know. I would hate to be in your shoes."

"You really aren't helping…"

"Yeah, I'm sorry." He looked around for a moment before a static came over the line.

"Hai, ready on this end," reported the man into the radio. Sakura looked over at him from her shoulder to see that he had turned his attention to her. "You ready, Ms. Haruno?"

Sakura gave a short smile and nod as she adjusted her gloves on her hands.

"Then we'll just wait for the signal."

A second past, then another until they were both welcomed with a sudden spark that exploded in the sky shooting red and oranges lights ablaze. Sakura turned to the entrance and darted in only to be swallowed by the shadows from the canopy over head.

It wasn't until she was a good ways inside the grounds that she stopped and decided to get everything in order. She knew all too well what lurked in the shadows and she had no intentions of becoming a victim.

There were six people and two scrolls. That was clear. They were in the forest of death and it could take up to a week for the mission. A week…Psh-yeah right. She had no desire to stay that long.

Kneeling down at the base of a tree, she searched her kunai pouch as an inventory. Her kunai's and senbons winked secretively at her next to two scrolls and her flair. Pulling out her two scrolls, she smiled proud that she always brought them with her. One scroll was a simple parchment that she had used for her more personal touches such as explosive notes, seals and her medic gear that she kept safe. The second though was different and she hadn't seen any other that was ebony black with silver ends. It had been her fathers and truth be told, she wasn't sure what was really in it; a few seals here and there but none that she was familiar with. She just hoped she didn't have to find out.

The thing about this test was that no one was told to bring food or other supplies except for those that you wore around the village which only left you with a kunai pouch and a few personal touches. She guessed that was a large part of the test as well. You had to know how to survive in any condition whether you were prepared or not…

Setting her scrolls away and leaning against the tree, she tried to remember the forest lay out. There was a large tower in the center and many rivers and creeks, but it was easy to get lost. Traps, creatures, and jutsu's littered the area in the worst places and with all the tests that they do, there was no doubt that the contestants had added to the list with only few that have actually been set off, leaving the others for more unsuspecting shinobi. And through all of this you had to find two scrolls with no hint as to where they would be at.

Instinct told her to go towards the tower but was it really that simple? For a chunin or jounin test, maybe…but Anbu? No way.

"It's probably in some tree some where," she said to herself dryly. This made her look to the lofty trees all around her and she mentally screamed, already tired of this exam.

Sakura sighed and shook her head. This wasn't going to be easy and she had to stay on her feet. Thinking outside of the box was the one weapon that kept her different then her opponents.

Luckily she always came prepared for things.

**Hells Yeah! We're in this together!!**

Deciding that she didn't want to delay her leave from this forest any second longer, she stood to her feet and pulled a kunai out of her pouch. She didn't want to loose track of where she had been and with her being by herself, she couldn't take a risk. Taking her kunai, she set a small notch in the bark of the tree started her trek through the canopy of trees.

The warm sun peeked through the many leaves as she jumped to the branches and casually made her way deeper into the belly of the dark forest. The sound of a few birds called to each other in soft caws and coos. Sakura kept her eyes out for any movement, emerald eyes scanning every nook. Last time it was open for others to attack and even now she had a feeling the rules hadn't changed. The five other men that were competing with her were all joinin and here she was still haven't taken _that_ test.

**You killed Sasori! They would've gotten their ass handed to them!**

Sakura grinned, knowing that inner was right. Still, thought, she had the disadvantage.

Jumping nimbly she paused and kneeled on the branch she was on. Looking around she searched for any sign that she was being followed. It was too early for someone to have caught up with her, but she didn't want to take a chance.

Once satisfied, she continued. Her plan was to head closer to the tower. She wasn't a fool to actually go in there seeing as she would only run into her other opponents. It just seemed too easy for it to be in there. But it was possible to be close to that.

*****************************************************************************

**Bang-Bang-Bang!**

"…"

**Bang-bang!**

"SAKURA! I'm going to kill you!!!" yelled a distressed female voice from the other side of the wooden door.

**Bang-bang-bang!**

"Damn bitch, just leave it!" said another voice; this time male.

There wasn't an answer only another bang before he reached to the door and opened it to reveal Ino and Hidan.

Ino blinked mid knock and stared with wide blue eyes while Hidan just stared off indifferently. Hidan was used to woman looking at his Akatsuki brother like that, whether from fear, surprise, or….admiration-_Gag!_ He would rather be finding someone to sacrifice at this time…

"Oh…uh…" Ino giggled awkwardly and realized that her hand was still hanging strangely in mid air. Quickly, she pulled it behind her back and flashed a grin. "Sorry, Itachi…Or uh, Uchiha….Mr. Uchiha?" she corrected.

"Fuck! This is painful to watch!" Hidan yelled out at no one in particular and threw his arms over his chest.

Ino glared at him and held up a warning finger that clearly said not to push her. Turning back she smiled again. "I was just wondering where Sakura was."

Itachi blinked rather slowly. Obviously he was bored but he still thought about his answer carefully. If Sakura hadn't told her companion then she wasn't supposed to know about the exams…At this, he had to resist the pull on his lips. It looked like Sakura trusted him more then this loud blonde. He must be moving up in her book, whether she knew it or not.

"She is out with Kisame," Itachi replied calmly, his face giving nothing away.

"Oh," her face fell slightly. "Do you know where?"

"Why is it that you care?"

Ino's shocked expression flashed back. Clearly she hadn't expected him to ask _her_ a question. He wasn't like Sasuke in that part. "Uh…Well it's just a thing…" she explained with a strange hand motion in the air. Itachi had thought he had seen the last of that annoying hand that had tried to break down the door.

Hidan growled deeply, clearly irritated over this. Stepping forward he began to explain, earning a death glare from the blonde.

Itachi stood in the door way and looked between the two who occupied the hallway; each arguing lightly with each other before turning their attention back at him. He vaguely wondered what he had done to deserve this. Kisame was out and Sakura in the exams…it really wasn't the best time to be left alone. It wasn't like he was bothering anybody. In fact it was a simple reading that he hadn't finished that morning. The evening before when Sakura was working on his eyes, she had told him that reading would give his sight a good exercise and may help her clear his chakra paths easier. He didn't mind. He missed reading and Sakura kindly had healed enough for him to make out the blurry little symbols as letters. Which led to him sitting on the couch, catching up on what he had missed, thus leading to him standing in the doorway with two annoying "ex" team mates that insisted in yelling when they were only two feet from each other….It was all beyond him.

"And she hadn't fucking called Ino back yesterday, so this bitch felt the need to drag my ass down here to fucking scream her damn head off at the your partner!" Hidan finished explaining and Itachi was just able to catch the last of it.

"I see. Well you can find her in the Hokage's office." With that said Itachi closed the door and bolt locked it for good measure. There was only silence as he walked back to the living room and picked up his book before lying back on the couch and picking up where he had left off.

**(Ahhh you gotta love him!)**

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Naruto and Deidara lay in the grass of training grounds 4. The other grounds had all been filled with other teams but neither of the blondes mind. They had been training all afternoon and were panting lightly as they lay sprawled out and staring at the clouds rolling over Konoha. Naruto wore a thin white tank top with his same orange and black pants finished with his forehead protector hung lopsided from under his wet spiky hair.

Deidara was just as sweat but was seen on his bare chest with a light layer of shimmer. His hair was pulled into a high pony tail and he only wore his black pants…

"I didn't think you could fight like that," Naruto said once his breathing settled.

"Come on," Deidara scoffed. "I'm only weak in genjutsu, un."

Naruto laughed to himself. "Me too!"

Deidara grinned. "Betcha don't have anything to help you though, hm."

Naruto blinked and sat up on his elbows to look at Deidara on the other side of the grounds. "You mean you have something that will help you?"

Deidara nodded and sat up. Proudly, he pulled up his bands that covered his eye to reveal a mechanical device. "This helps me fight against that along with aerial surveillance and a lot more, yeah," he boasted.

Naruto stared wide eyed at it like a child looking at a lollypop. "Wow! Were can I get one?!"

At this Deidara laughed. "I made it! You can't just go out and buy one, un."

"Let me see it then!" Naruto got up and ran over to Deidara with a hand out expectantly.

"Hell no!"

"What?!"

"I said no! You'll break it, yeah," Dediara glared with his hair covering the device.

Naruto glared back. "I will not! Just let me see it!"

"I said no, brat!"

"Who are you calling a brat?!"

"Are you deaf, yeah?! Or just blind, 'cause I don't see anyone else in this area!"

"Why you!" Naruto jumped at Deidara as they wrestled around on the ground. Naruto desperately tried to grab the device, but Deidara just turned his head and pushed Naruto off of him, but it was in vain as a second and then third Naruto jumped the poor bomber.

"Give it to me!"

"Fuck you, yeah!"

There was a roar of laughter from the side of the grounds. Both blondes paused and looked over to see Hidan laughing insanely at them while Ino paid no mind as she pulled the Jashinist after her by the ear. He didn't seem to take noticed of the hold she had on him as he was pulled along behind her; his feet stepping sideways awkwardly to keep up.

Naruto could only stare as he watchi Hidan and Ino disappear down the sidewalk towards the Hokage tower, letting his clones poof away and leaving him sitting on Deidara's stomach. A rumble under him turned his attention to Deidara who looked like he would explode much like his works of art. "Get off of me…" he hissed between clenched teeth; his face red.

Naruto sweat dropped at their position but before he could move…….

"Katsu!"

**Boom**----_"Aaaahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!!!!!!!!!!!!!" _

Hidan heard the boom and looked to the corner of his eye to see Naruto sent flying into the sky, just over the tree tops with smoke staining at his clothes. Another wave of laughter poured through him as Ino continued to drag him towards the tower-completely unaware of what had Hidan nearly on his knees in laughter.

******************************************************************************

Night finally stretched over the mountains and settled in the forest. The temperatures dropped and a cool night wind combed through the trees. Sakura found herself huddled against the base of a tree with her knees pulled to her chest and her arms tightly around her. It was cold. She was alone…The forest wasn't a friendly place to be. All was silent except for the whispering leaves and an occasional whistle of wind.

She pushed her head back against the bark and stared at the sky between clouds and leaves. It was beautiful the way the night sky seemed to glow a tint of blue. It was almost ethereal. A tendril of wind wrapped around her and she shivered. She wished she could start a fire, but she knew it was too dangerous. Someone may be able to see the smoke or glow from the fire if it wasn't small enough and if it was too small then it wouldn't keep her warm. Building a shelter wasn't a priority seeing as she was staying in a branch and she wanted to save as much energy as possible.

Not to mention she had already spent a few hours building traps around her incase some one or something came along while she was asleep. After all her last traps last time she was here had served their purpose.

Slowly, her eyes began to drift closed and her head lolled to one side as sleep took her. The quiet sounds of the forest sang to her as another wind blew across the trees…..

_Kabuto smiled mockingly. A smile that told more then what Sakura wanted to know. She started to struggle, now becoming panicked._

"_Let go, Kabuto!" She ordered while trying to knee him, but he simply pushed his own knee in between her legs to keep her from doing it again. He still had a hold of her hair and pulled it back farther, exposing her neck to the cold wind and his warm breath.  
_

_Just as Orochimaru reached them he bent his head to the crook of her neck while Kabuto watched happily and held her still. "Don't worry, Sakura-chan. It will hurt a lot, but I promise that I'll make it __all__ go away."  
_

_The sharp tips of two fangs touched her skin tauntingly and a new layer of fear pulsed through her skin__………._

With a gasp, her emerald eyes shot open only to come face to face with unfamiliar dark brown eyes that gleamed in the darkness and a hand that shot around her mouth to keep the scream behind her lips……….

"Don't even dare, or I'll rip your throat out now…"

**Yeah that's good for me. I'm just going to start off where I left off next time! Anyway, I hope you enjoyed. Next one will be better…not so boring. Ah well! **

**As for the whole Ino/Hidan and Deidara/Naruto...It was just to keep you updated with thier results as a team too. I don't want it to be just a Sakura nd Itachi ONLY deal... that's just that main attraction! Everyone loves the Akatsuki so i gotta give them love too! Anyway, Naruto and Deidara are not gay! I just added some humor there. **

**Thanks for the Fav's and Reviews! Please tell me what you think! **


	9. Spies and Snakes

**Okay let's continue, shall we? This may be a pretty long chapter so be prepared. **

**Disclaimer….Only me and my Ryuu… But he is busy at the moment planning for destruction so he won't be in this chapter.…..Oh and one more to the threesome! There is Koji who you will meet this time and he will be important later in the story. **

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2:26 am found the shadow of a man leaping frantically through the many towering trees that filled the forest to its rim. Desperately, brown eyes searched for a place to hide, but it came to a futile attempt. He was _conveniently _being chased towards a more barren area of the forest where plants, bushes and other vegetation was scarce on the forest floor. The trees wouldn't hide him from his pursuers and it looked like he would be forced to fight them head on. He wasn't a fool, though and decided that had to be used as a last resort……Sadly he was running out of options. The pair of hunters weren't easy to ditch but he seemed to had borrowed enough time to search for anything that could help him. The pounding of chakra through his legs burned from the constant sprinting. Black hair ruffled slightly in the cold night breeze and he gripped his kunai tighter, preparing for any traps or creatures that lurked in the night.

Suddenly his sandals landed on a branch and effectively coming to a stop without any sound made. There was another chakra signature nearby and he looked around, trying to pick it up. Another breeze picked up and the chakra returned. It wasn't hostile and it was alone-both of which were obvious signs that it wasn't the two men that were out to kill him.

Decided it would be best to pursue this person, he jumped to a lower branch-still high in the 80ft trees- and followed the aura that drifted from the wind. It was only minutes later that he found the source giving off just a light chakra that told him whoever it was, was asleep.

Glancing in a nearby tree, he saw the shinobi-or more like kunoichi who had caught his attention.

Long pink locks hung in a high pony tail with the tips resting over her shoulder that sported a thin strip of her tank top. No doubt she was cold. But her even breathing told him that she was in fact asleep.

If he waited around too long, then the others would find him…or worse off, the unsuspecting kunoichi. He couldn't let that happen. He vaguely remembered the rude awakening that he had received only an hour ago from the two brutes. It wasn't pleasant to be stabbed twice before you realized that it wasn't a dream. With this in mind, he unconsciously gripped is bleeding shoulder. What a cheap shot that those bastards had taken! He couldn't let them do that to the young woman below.

If it all worked out, then he may be able to convince her to fight with him. If those two had teamed up then surely they could as well….

With a cunning grin, he leapt to her branch and landed with hardly a sound, but a step forward erased his smirk. In the branch above the sleeping woman was a small sparkle that had barely caught his attention. The sparkle only belonged to that of a kunai and he was seemingly impressed that she was smart enough to put up a trap….then he mentally scolded himself for not thinking about it too.

Brown eyes looked down by his feet to see a string that was no doubt the trigger and he carefully stepped over it before crouching in front of the girl. "Hey," he whispered. "Wake up." He added it with a nudge.

The woman shifted her weight but didn't wake. Now that he was closer, he could see that there were beads of sweat that formed over her creased brow. The weather was chilly so how was she hot? Goosebumps lined her arms but then again she could have a fever. He pulled off a glove from his left hand and placed it on her forehead, but she didn't have a fever or illness. Perhaps it was a nightmare?

Again he raised his arms to shake her, but the two deadly chakras caught up to him. Cursing to himself for his lack of speed, he saw that she was starting to wake up. Not wanting her to give them away, he covered her mouth while being welcomed with bright emerald eyes that looked on in terror. He couldn't help but wonderer if that had been his expression when the two had stabbed him but he pushed the useless thought away and leaned to her face, clearly not pleased that the two had found them and currently making their way over.

"Don't even dare, or I'll rip your throat out now…"

Sakura's mind was thrown into neutral and she could hardly register anything through the dark of the night and the closeness of her captor. All she knew was that it was bad….Her instincts took over and she pushed her fist in an uppercut, efficiently knocking the man back on the branch.

There was a growl from him as he stood back to his feet and wiped blood from his mouth before turning a predatory glare at Sakura. Emerald eyes narrowed dangerously as she crouched into a fighting stance. Apparently attacking your competitors was more then allowed. She took this time to examine the man before her and it was then that she recognized him as the man from the room before the exam had started. He wore a dark traditional green jounin vest and his hands where tight around a kunai.

The man shifted his weight and allowed his brown eyes to examine the fiery kunoichi before him. Her pink hair was still in a high and neat ponytail that stood out against the black tank top and pants that melted into the shadows of the night. The only thing that stood out was a blood red sash that hung charmingly around her thin waist and her forehead protector sat just above her collar bone. She had one hell of a right hook and the look she sent him was nothing short of a dare. It was clear she was daring him to step towards her or maybe even to try and attack her.

"There's that sneaky bastard!" yelled a new voice that shattered the tense silence of the two. So much for his plan at staying hidden…

"Look what you did, princess. You gave me away," he pouted playfully. But the jester told Sakura that it wasn't an innocent playfulness. Suddenly two kunais shot through the air at amazing speed, coming straight at the jounin.

Sakura glance down to see two other shinobi on the ground who watched for their weapons to bite into their target's flesh. Spinning her head back she watched as the stranger spun sideways with one foot then ducked effortlessly under the second. His speed was incredible and his grace just soaked at his movements. Anther onslaught of weapons came at them both this time and Sakura had to quickly dodge under senbons, shuriken, and kunais that searched hungrily at her. She didn't pay attention to the man who, like her, was dancing lightly on his feet and it wasn't until they both flipped and spun, inevitably running into each other on the branch. Both fell with a "humph" but Sakura only flipped back to her feet and deflected a few more weapons.

A growl was heard from the men beneath her and they knew that throwing weapons weren't going to cut it….That was a bad pun…

Without a word, they started running up the side of the tree at a dangerous speed with weapons bare out to their side.

Sakura took a step towards them, but a hand caught hers making her turn to see the man. "What is it?!"

"Well princess," he said with a dashing smile as he slowly got up from the ground until he was on one knee in front of her. "This isn't what I was expecting to charm a kunoichi like yourself but will you assist me in taking out these two brutes?" He added a dashing smile at her and continued to hold her hand as if proposing for marriage.

All of Sakura's anger seemed to melt away and she couldn't help but smile back. "Why of course," she said mockingly.

The man before her stood to his feet-the two attackers leaving their attention for a moment. "Then it should be easy."

"I need a name, though," she said smartly and pulled her hand away from him.

"Ah…Yes that is important. The name's Koji." He held out his hand and smiled again.

Sakura shook it happily but released as soon as the two men jumped to their branch. One in front of Sakura, the other in front of Koji. She smirked darkly, challenging the tall man to come at her.

"Don't go easy on her just because she's a woman, Ko," the man in front of Koji ordered.

Sakura narrowed her eyes but refused to retort. They obviously didn't know who she had trained with….With out hesitating she pulled her kantana out of its sheath from her back and flipped it in a single circular motion with her hand.

"Shut up, Shin," he said quietly as he stared at the kunoichi.

"Do you think you can handle him on your own, Princess?" Koji asked mockingly over his shoulder as their backs were together.

"What are you trying to say? That you need help with taking out _your_ guy?" she shot back.

Koji chuckled. "I may….He has the worst breath," he added a hand swatting at the air in front of his nose, and Sakura couldn't help keep the laugh in.

"Enough! You are about to die and you insist on joking?!" The man named Shin charged as did his friend. The fight was on as Sakura blocked a strong attack with her blade. Ko only pushed harder with a sick grin, but he truly underestimated Sakura's strength.

Summoning chakra, she gave a huge push, sending him stumbling back. Sakura took this time to swing at him, but he jumped to the side of the tree before pushing off with his feet and charging at her through mid air. Sakura was too slow to recover as he swiped at her, letting the blade stab into her side, but he was welcomed with a cloud of smoke.

"Damn it!" Suddenly, Sakura flipped from under the branch he was on and kicked him, sending the leaf nin falling off the side and to a lower branch with sickening crunch. She rushed to the side off the branch to see if he was unconscious, but the branch below was empty.

**Move!**

Sakura threw her hands into a signal and pushed chakra through her body. Looking up, she saw Ko had appeared on a branch above her while hanging upside down like a bat. Without a warning, he dropped after her while spiraling with an abnormally large Shuriken.

"Earth style: Illusion water!" Suddenly, she was slowly sinking into the wood of the tree like water until she had completely vanished. Ko flipped in midair and landed hard onto the spot that she had once occupied.

She was a tricky one…

Shin wasn't having much luck with Koji who he had expected to be weak. The cocky arrogant attitude was well placed seeing as he was able to back it up with skill. Still, he was going to put him in his place. He tossed a few explosive notes and missed the onyx haired nin while sticking to the branch. A loud boom broke the branch off, knocking both of them off and to the forest floor. Shin flipped a few times until he was at Koji as they trade a few attacks in the air. Suddenly, he elbowed the brown eyed man, knocking him unconscious. With a wicked grin, he spun their bodies so that Koji was under him as they freefell to the hard ground. Pushing chakra through his body, he spiraled while keeping a tight hold of the limp body until the impact came. The compact made a sickening thud as Koji was slammed to the ground, sending dust and leaves to fly around them.

A loud crashing sound erupted through the forest air and Shin looked up just in time to see the enormous branch they were on hurtle towards them from the air. With a bloodthirsty grin, he jumped out of the way, leaving the branch to crash onto Koji's body. More dirt erupted through the air and he stared proudly at his work with his light brown hair hanging spiked in crooked angles.

Ko looked frantically around for Sakura but her chakra was non-existent as if she was never there, but he knew better. A sudden chill went down his spine and his instincts knotted in his stomach. He had the strange assumption that the roles were reversed and it was him that was being the hunted…..

His nerves increased tenfold and he jumped to a different tree while looking for her still.

The forest seemed quiet except for where Shin was with Koji, leaving him alone. He jumped to a different branch and waited to try and calm himself. The cold tendril of wind wrapped around him and the darkness seemed to blind him to the point where he couldn't tell what were shadows from the small moonlight.

A spark of chakra tickled his senses and he glanced around. His heart started to beat harder against his chest and he backed till his back was against bark.

"Come out, bitch! Just fight me!" There wasn't an answer but instead another spark before disappearing again. "Why are you hiding? Are you afraid of the dark?!"

"Don't be a fool…I own the night," whispered a lyrical voice against his neck. He spun around but it was too late as she kicked him from the tree, still in her jutsu and he was flying towards the ground where he turned and landed safely.

Sakura jumped to the ground and started walking towards him but a new presence welcomed them as Shin landed in front of her. "And then there was one…"

Sakura furrowed her brows. "Where's Koji?"

"You're little boyfriend?" he chuckled. "Six feet under."

Sakura narrowed her eyes before charging at him.

Sakura and Shin traded a few blows, her with a kantana and him with a long arched dagger. She jumped back a few feet from an attack before charging at him again. Before she reached him, her foot sunk into the ground as the rocky earth started to weaken and turn to a sand substance, pulling her under like water.

Sakura was sinking fast and she had dropped her blade on the ground. "Damn it," she muttered as she struggled to get out of its hold, but Ko only laughed as he stood above her.

"Got some bad news for you, pinky. That sand trap will only suck you in faster the more you struggle," he grinned.

Sakura glared daggers at him as she was to her waist. "Don't underestimate me," she said shortly. With a few quick hand signs, she took a deep breath and focused before blowing between her fingers. Flames shot from her fingers and she blew all around her in a circle as the heat hardened the ground and effectively sending the two men jumping back from the burning fire. Sakura took this time to wiggle her hip out of the ground and again she used a few hand signs.

"Stupid bitch needs to learn when to quite," Shin muttered as he sent three clones after her. Sakura jumped back and then again before she sent a punch to one, making it disappear in a poof. The second pulled a kunai and stabbed at her, but she spun around so the blade hit the tree. Both clones followed to the tree but before they could wrap around to attack the kunoichi, the said tree busted from its roots and was sent hurtling at them, making them both disappear. The rumble of the tree was multiplied as it hit another and another, efficiently ripping other trees from their roots and boulders. A rain of shuriken suddenly hit her in the back letting the realization that not only was she fighting two shinobi, she was in the middle of a death trap.

She fell to her knees for a moment and pulled the easiest shuriken from her shoulder blade. With a grunt it released its hold on her flesh and the pain grew for a moment. It was then that Ko took the time to shoot a boulder at her from another ninjutsu and she narrowly moved her body in a roll that pushed the weapons deeper into her back.

As she sent a glare at Ko, a shadow smothered her form from the full moon shining as a skylight. Sakura looked back just in time to see Shin raise an arm with the kunai before dropping it down to her. The blade sunk into her shoulder but Shin was rewarded with a cloud of smoke.

"Substitution!"

Both men spun around in search of the pink haired kunoichi, but she hid her chakra well.

Unlike before when she had hid, there was a small hint of her chakra linger, but now it seemed to have disappeared all together…

Sakura sprinted away from the two men and back towards the trees that she had last seen Koji. She wasn't willing to waste anymore chakra on the two men that she had left in a genjutsu for fear that it would effect her performance in the rest of the test. Not to mention that she was worried for her new companion.

Finally, she came onto the scene where a large branch lay crumbled on the forest floor. Rushing over, she could see Koji halfway under the branch as he tried to push out from under it. "Koji!" she yelled in relief and kneeled next to him.

"Hey princess," he said in a hoarse voice from the pain. "You mind helpin' a friend out?"

Sakura summoned chakra to her hands and lifted the branch enough for him to wiggle out. Dropping the branch, she kneeled over him once again and quickly let her hands hover over his body as he lay there catching his breath. "Uh…what are you doing?"

"I'm checking to see what your injuries are. We have to get out of here before they find out they're in a genjutsu and I don't want you travelling if you have inner bleeding." Once satisfied that he was ok, aside from multiple broken ribs and gashes, she stood up.

"How do you know?" he asked as he carefully stood up.

"I'm a medic…I'm Haruno Sakura." She introduced, remembering that she knew his name but he didn't know hers.

"Ah," he smiled as they started walking. "That explains a lot…You're the Hokage's apprentice!"

Sakura smiled. Her wounds in her back from one of the traps burned but her body was automatically healing it lightly. Once they got a safe distance away, she would have to heal Koji.

Casually, the said man slung an arm around her shoulders and mumbled something about kicking Shin's ass once they meet again. Sakura knew that the arm around her shoulders wasn't in an affectionate way but instead for him to ease the ache in his ribs. It was basic medic knowledge to stretch the rib muscles to keep them from giving into the pressure, and she was slightly surprised that he knew about the medic trick. But she pushed it away and decided on focusing on any traps that may be lurking in the leaves as they jumped from the destructed forest and into the safety of the dark.

***********************************************************************

The morning slowly peaked from the top of the Hokage Mountain before the light actually stretched to the forest. Sakura and Koji had finally found a small clearing that was secluded from any other "kill happy" competitors. She had stayed up to heal his ribs, but had stopped after him telling her to save her chakra. A few were still fractured, but he had been stubborn as he continually insisted that he was fine.

She could only furrow her brows, knowing that even fractured ribs were quite painful, but she knew he was right. She had to save her chakra for the rest of the test. Of course, Koji didn't think of it as such. "If you use all your chakra then I would feel guilty and have to take care of you! Kami forbid that I had a female that I couldn't protect!" He had added it with a pout and she had laughed to herself. He reminded her of Naruto the way he always seemed to make her laugh, though his antics were considerably different. Instead of the loud and goofy attitude Naruto used, Koji's was charming and arrogant. His jokes weren't loud and they didn't need an act of clumsiness to add to the effect.

She had to admit that she enjoyed his company. They had each gotten two hours of sleep before they decided to start again, this time staying together. There were two scrolls after all but even so, she couldn't help but to remember Kakashi's lesson. It was the bell test that seemed to be so much like this, but deep down she knew that it wasn't going to be as easy as "Teamwork" to pass. This was Anbu after all and even though you had to work on teams, you had to accomplish a mission no matter what. Even if your team was caught as hostage or they had died…the last Anbu had. To. Finish. It.

The rest of the day, they had travelled together, telling stories of past missions and their friends. Koji began to tell her of a friend of his name Osamu who had been like brother. Apparently, Koji wasn't a Konoha leaf nin. He was assigned to Konoha only a year and a half ago from Suna, but she never would have guessed it. Then again it did make sense seeing as he had only heard of Kakashi and what she had done to Sasori and how she helped Gaara. He told stories of his friend that he had, Osamu, who had died shortly after Koji had moved from Suna. Osamu's death was tragic and his whole team was taken out from some Sound-nin on one of the missions.

As he spoke about it, his voice dropped considerably and he let his cheerful mask slip, making him look older then he really was.

Sakura then told him of her sensei Kakashi and how he was always late, blaming it on the road of life or old ladies. She bluntly said that the way he went on about his excuses made it sound as if old ladies threw themselves at him. At this Koji laughed and the heavy mood was lifted.

"So what about the Akatsuki?"

Sakura looked over at him. "What do you mean?"

"Well, the whole village knows about the Akatsuki being teamed with Konoha shinobi. I was wondering what you thought about your team mates."

"Oh. Well, they're not a bad bunch of guys. Actually they really are down to earth," she explained as they jumped through branches. "I have Hoshigaki Kisame and Uchiha Itachi on the team and although it was a little rough the first two days, I have to admit that they are pretty cool. Strange, but cool."

"Aww, princess, I'm gonna get jealous…"

Sakura shook her head at him. "Well you should be. Kisame has a liver of steel and Itachi can make you look like a genin if you fought him," she teased.

"A genin? Wow that was a blow to my pride." He held up a hand to his chest. "You wound me."

"Maybe not that low, but Itachi is skilled. He can fight on par with Kakashi and even though his sight is bad, you wouldn't know it."

"So you are healing him I suspect?"

"Of course," she scoffed. "I couldn't let him suffer like that and it settle well with my conscious….I can't have a blind teammate."

Koji smiled to himself know that there was more to the first half of the statement then she let one…perhaps there was more then she even was aware of. He could feel his smile grow…It would be interesting to watch her connection with her new team unravel…

**************************************************************************

Tenten sat and watched Neji and Kakuzu spar together. Neji had taken the second half so he could spar the winner and of course Tenten had lost. She was tired of dodging all those tentacles and to make it short, she was sore! She never had worked some of her back muscles like that! Not even when training with Neji or Lee….

Lee. She missed him. His loud obnoxious personality kept things interesting, though she didn't mind. Her, Kakuzu, and Neji had already figured out where they stood together. Although Kakuzu was much older and stronger, he respected both of Neji and Tenten. They in return didn't bother him unlike his previous partner, Hidan.

Not to mention that Neji had a very interesting view on life. Some wasn't what Kakuzu would agree on but the basic idea was very much like his own. They would talk as they sat at the table in their small apartment and discuss fate and money. He knew the Hyuga's had very much money, but he preferred to work on his own to get it as in bounties. It made it more fun for him as well.

Due to his good behavior and willing to adjust, they had agreed that they would try and get small missions to collect bounties as long as Kakuzu didn't try and kill anyone.

The deal was golden!

***********************************************************************

Shikamaru sat with a hand to his chin as he stared at the chess pieces in front of him. It was a tricky move and he struggled to figure out the next move. Zetsu watched in fascination at the young man in front of him. The game had been long and brutal but it was coming to an end with neither pulling ahead. It had been years since the tall Akatsuki had played chess. There were few times when he had played a challenging game with Pein with the title of winner mostly going to the cunning Ame-nin. Of course Zetsu had always held his own within the first half but it was still inevitable that Pein would come out the victor.

This game however was different. Shikamaru was smart…maybe too smart, but there was no doubt that they were on par. It was constantly going back and forth, neither getting a lead over the other.

But over all it kept things interesting and neither would take notice of the hours passing by. Occasionally, Zetsu would break the comfortable silence and question, "Shouldn't we train?"

"This is training. It's training your mind to out think your opponent and to strategize," he would say as if saying it a million times before. "Besides, training is too troublesome right now…"

Zetsu wouldn't argue seeing as the boy had a point. It wasn't like he actually sparred with anyone anyway. In fact, his daily exercise would be when he went out for a mean on occasion, normally travelling all the way to Grass Country for a fresh meal seeing as he was forbidden to eat any one from Suna or Konoha…

It was a shame…Hidan had said that he would pay a hefty price to Kakuzu if the said nin could talk to Zetsu about disposing of a certain blonde kunoichi. Of course Kakuzu had thought about it thoroughly, know that it wouldn't take long to convince Zetsu into doing it, but the deal with Neji and Tenten came to mind and he had a hard time figuring it out. If he went for it then Pein would be there in a heart beat and kill him then for going back on the agreement and that was enough to make Kakuzu shy away from the thought. But another thing came to mind…

If Hidan was willing to go through the trouble with Pein then obviously he was suffering with the blonde known as Ino….REVENGE!

In which case, he refused to help Hidan which left Zetsu to go out of the Fire Country to get his meals…He didn't mind too much however. It seemed for the most part relaxing to get out every now and then.

"Checkmate."

***********************************************************************

Kakashi sat on the couch with an arm over the back. They were in Itachi's apartment to see if he had word on Sakura's test yet but like Kakashi, he hadn't. Kisame was out again, looking for some sake at the store while the Uchiha stayed with Kakahsi and Tobi. Itachi had pulled up a wooden chair from the table as he listed to Tobi talk about Kakashi and training.

"And then Tobi and senpai fell into the water, but he said Tobi was a good boy!"

Or at least, he acted like he listened. Kakashi had long ago blocked the one sided conversation out of his head as he thought about Sakura. He wasn't sure what the test was exactly, but he couldn't help to be worried. He had trusted her and her skill. She had taken out Sasori, fought and kept up with Orochimaru and Kabuto, trained under him and Tsunade and was teamed with Itachi and Kisame from Akatsuki.

So why was he worried?

Well he cared about her. She was more then a team mate, she was a best friend. Ever since the day before, he couldn't stop worrying about her.

"She'll be fine, Hatake," Itachi said shortly, effectively cutting Tobi off.

Kakashi looked to Itachi and gave an eye crinkle. "I know, it's just that I have been with her on almost all the missions. It's just a little different."

Itachi held back a smirk. "You're acting a little protective aren't you?"

Kakashi gave him a questioningly look.

"I understand. I felt that way with Sasuke when he went to the academy but you have to trust her. You and I have made it through the test, and I'm sure she won't have any problem."

This time it was Kakashi to hold back a smirk. He hadn't expected Itachi to be so sure over it… Actually the fact that he seemed to care made him just as shocked. "You aren't impress with her skill are you?"

Tobi sat on the ground and played with the hem of his shirt as he listened to the conversation.

Itachi blinked, ignoring Kakashi's attempt at teasing him. "Her skill is very high. Her genjutsu and hand to hand is nearly top level as with her healing, but she lacks ninjutsu. That is her weakness."

Tobi just looked back and forth between the two, wondering who they were talking about; his hem of shirt completely forgotten.

"As is caring for others whether enemy or friend."

"She will have to learn to over come that on her own."

Kakashi sighed. "I'm afraid you're right."

****************************************************************************

Night came all too soon for Sakura and Koji as they set a few traps around their camping area. They hadn't eaten all day but their progress kept there mind from it. In fact they had made till they were nearly to the tower, but it was too dark to get any closer. Instead they both agreed to start off in the morning after a good nights rest.

"So Shin and Ko just attacked you when you were sleeping?" Sakura asked.

"Yup. The cowards."

Sakura shook her head as her stomach rumbled. Koji looked to her. "I could go get us a squirrel if you're hungry."

Again she shook her head and smiled. "No it's ok. I'm hoping to be out of here by tomorrow anyway."

Koji couldn't help but laugh. "And where are you expecting this scroll to be at?"

"I don't know, but I don't think it's in the tower. That would be too easy."

"That's true." They sat for a while, listening to the night come to life as the sun died down. It wasn't long until Sakura fell asleep, leaving Koji to take first watch grudgingly.

Thirty feet away, in a thick shrub sat a man watching the pair through round spectacles...

*******************************************************************************

After a few hours, Sakura was woken from her slumber and it was her turn to take watch. This night they had a small fire, just enough for a small wave of heat to roll towards them. It attracted a few bugs but kept the larger blood sucking insects away.

Sakura didn't care too much as she stared at the sky, thinking about Kisame and Itachi. They weren't anything like she had thought of them…In a way, they were much like Naruto and Sasuke. Kisame was loud at times and opinionated-always putting in his two cents in. Though unlike Naruto, his addiction wasn't to the yummy noodles of Ramen but the hot liquid of Sake.

Sasuke was always the leader of the three-with the exception of Kakashi. He was like a protective brother and that was all that Sakura thought of him as now. The child-hood crush was gone and dead. Now she would only retrieve Sasuke for Naruto because the blonde needed him. They were both each others crutch that they leaned on.

There wasn't any reason for him to come back for her, but she really didn't mind anymore. In fact, she was indifferent about the whole situation. Though there was a question that had popped up in her mind more then once, but she violently stepped and squashed the idea-metaphorically/mentally of course.

**What if he returned and was looking for someone to help rebuild his clan….**

_Well,_ she thought with her resolve, _he better not expect me to do it._

**You are actually serious**, inner commented.

_Of course I am._

**But why? Why now? **

_Because…._

Why? Inner had a point. Why was she completely over Sasuke now of all the times? She was becoming a Anbu where she would have many chances to try and bring him back, but that wasn't why she was taking the test. She had wanted to take it to prove that she was strong. If she passed then she would be the first to actually be Anbu from her rookie class. But status wasn't what it was about either…

Why was she doing this? Why was she in this forest? Why was she over Sasuke?

Why, why, why?

**Perhaps it has something to do with your new team?**

Sakura furrowed her brows. Was it because of that? Itachi and Kisame were a new chapter in her book…a blank page to start over. She had changed her clothes and her fighting style to more sword play then hand to hand. She had improved considerably and yet she didn't know why. Perhaps it was because of Itachi and Kisame…

_The sharp tips of two fangs touched her skin tauntingly and a new layer of fear pulsed through her skin...Suddenly a shadowy figure stood only a couple feet away...making Orochimaru freeze at the sound of the deep velvet voice._

_"She obviously doesn't want to go with you."_

_Slowly, Orochimaru backed away to face the new arrival while Kabuto twisted Sakura to act like a shield. Emerald eyes widened at the sight of onyx hair, and crimson eyes with a waving cloak proudly possessing red clouds._

Sakura didn't know why she thought back to that, but it only made her confused, albeit a little comforted.

Suddenly two chakra signatures appeared to her left and she hastily sat up, trying to think of a plan…..

**********************************************************************

"I can sense them over there," whispered Shin as he crouched lower.

"Don't worry. I'll kill her this time," assured Ko. They stealthily hid their chakra and looked through some bushes at the alert kunoichi and the sleeping Koji.

"This time, I'll kill her and you handle the arrogant prick."

Ko gave a displeased look but didn't say anything else. With the signal from Shin, he set off ten clones before all eleven ran to the camp in an ambush.

Sakura stood to her feet and blocked a few attacks, but a kunai came behind her from another clone and slit across her throat, letting blood pool out freely as she fell to the floor, lifeless and limp. Ko grinned triumphantly that he killed her before Shin and another clone stabbed at the now awoken shinobi. "Sakura!" he yelled out and kicked a clone, sending it into a poof. He ran to Sakura's limp body but another clone got in his way before turning to smoke after he stabbed through them.

He reached Sakura's body and blood pooled around her face, caking half of in with scarlet mud. "Sakura-come on!" He checked her pulse to find it still as the man behind him snuck up with a blade ready. Ko sunk the kuani into his unsuspecting spinal cord, killing him instantly as he fell over Sakura's cold body.

With a victorious grin, he turned to Shin walking out of the bushed with a puzzled expression.

"That wasn't so bad! Now it's only you and me left!"

"There's something wrong," Shin said more to himself. "The first two were easy to dispose of….these two were stronger last night."

"We caught the off guard," shrugged Ko. He turned to walk away back from where they came from.

Shin didn't look so convinced as he looked around the clearing. There was something amiss…

Walking over, he tapped Koji's body with his toe and suddenly, a barrage of kunais hurtled towards him. He dodged out of the way in time and looked to the bodies. The trap wasn't theirs and it was perfectly place. Ko had turned around once the trap caught his attention, but everything stayed oblivious.

With a hand sign, Shin summoned chakra. "Release!"

Suddenly, the clearing changed to reveal it empty except for the kunais and themselves.

His face pulled into a snarl. "It was a trick!"

Ko suddenly felt stupid and searched for the others chakra, knowing that they hadn't went too far.

Meanwhile, Sakura and Koji where hiding behind a boulder and tree. "Let's go," Sakura mouthed, but Koji shook his head with all sleep and humor gone. Quietly, they watched as the two men searched the area until they started off in one direction. Sakura sighed in relief and moved to head in the opposite direction when Koji pulled her hand.

"Follow me."

Sakura followed as they stalked behind the shinobi. They hid in the shadows, careful not to disturb any leaves or twigs that would give them away. Carefully, they got closer to the two shinobi who continued to search unsuccessfully. Still, Sakura wondered why they were taking this risk. To her it was unnecessary and Koji was a fairly logical thinker. What had him so determined to follow?

Finally Shin and Ko came to a stop at a river that was only a hundred feet from the tower. "They must be in there," Shin said as they started towards it. Sakura had never been on this side of the tower and it looked deadly. The cold steps up to a strangely placed door were dark and ominous. It reminded her of the stories she read with hidden tunnels…

Tunnels….

A sudden flash reminded her that there were monitors in the room that showed the forest and…tunnels…That was where the scrolls were at!!

**Cha! One for us and zero for those pricks! Hells Yeah!**

Sakura had to resist pumping a fist into the air victoriously. She still had to find the tunnels and get past those two "pricks" as inner so correctly called them.

Koji didn't wait for her to say anything as he suddenly dart forward after the two shinobi, shocking Sakura at his bold attack. Shin didn't seem as surprised as Ko, but he jumped out of the way all the same. It was suddenly a two way battle and Sakura was too confused as to what to do. The grace that Koji had before was nothing compared to what he had now. It was fluid, making her jealous she could have that flexibility. It was almost snake like, the way the wiggle and worm their ways in strange angles.

But something seemed different….A little…off.

What was it?

Sakura jumped into the fight, hoping that she would be able to tell what had her on edge. She took on Ko as he pulled out a kunai and charged her, but she was nimble as she dodged the sloppy attack.

Koji was busy with Shin as they battled until Koji sent a kick into his stomach, sending Shin busting through the door and into the long hallway that was the tunnels.

Sakura was finally able to punch Ko, sending him flying backwards and she felt the skull burst from her chakra. The sickening feeling seemed to stick to her hand and she tried to keep the thought out of her mind as she turned to see Koji smirking at her. But his smirk was different….It was….darker; one that said he knew something she didn't. She watched him turn back to the tunnel where Shin clambered to his feet from the debris of the door.

Sakura gave a wary glare at the back of Koji's back…If she stayed quiet and didn't voice her concerns then she would be able to figure it out. There was a sudden spark of chakra outside in the forest, turning her attention to the trees and the many shrouded crevices that could be used to hide it. Did she imagine it?

Turning back, she saw Koji break the jounin's neck, letting his body fall limp, much like Ko had in her genjutsu.

"You coming?"

Sakura blinked and walked hesitantly inside, careful for any traps. Koji hadn't called her princess and since he had woken her up…he seemed different. It wasn't his fun attitude. They turned a few turns, letting their eyes linger on a camera in the corner here and there. Obviously they were getting some where. Suddenly they turned and there were two doors that were closed to reveal nothing. "Which one?" Sakura asked as she turned from one door to the other and back.

"Good question…" he pointed to one door. "I'll take this one and you take the other."

Sakura hesitated before nodding and walking to it. Carefully, she opened the door slightly incase it was rigged. Nothing…She opened it a little more…Still nothing….

BOOM!

Suddenly, she was thrown into the room she was opening as Koji's door exploded. Sakura's skull hit the cobblestone floor, sending her sight into black before clearing enough for her to see debris falling over her. Splinters and small stones fell from the ceiling and she was vaguely aware of the tower shake under the pressure. Sakura struggled to sit up as her right eye burned as if on fire. She winced when she realized it was the blood from a head wound and the salt from the liquid made the sting. She resisted the urge to wipe her eye and make it worse as she clambered and climbed to her feet. Her shoulder was dislocated and the smoke and dust clogged her lungs.

She coughed a few times, trying to get a barring on where everything was at. She was in the room she had opened and Koji stood in the corner, completely engrossed in something in his hands. Sakura glared at him slightly, wonder what was so important to just leave her on the ground after HIS explosion. Inner was pissed!

**This fucking creep was all gentleman like earlier and then he just leaves us?! What about the whole "Kami forbid that I had a female that I couldn't protect"?!**

Sakura wondered the same thing…

His clothes were battered and soot stained as he turned to look at her with the same smirk before tossing her a scroll. Sakura caught it on reflex with her usable arm and blinked. The scroll was a dirt covered paper that was rolled and locked with two blue ends that were hard like steel. "This is the scroll?" she asked, looking up to him.

She resisted jumping back when she saw his chest inches from her face. "Yup! And all we have to do is get out of here."

Sakura said nothing, still trying to keep her vision from blurring from the pain and the blood to stop with her healing. The wound at her temple was deep and she knew it would take a while to heal. There were so many nerves in the temples and eyes which was the cause for it to take longer to repair correctly.

Before her mind could register, Koji had picked her up bride style and was carrying her out to the tunnels. "Hey-Let me walk, I'm not handicap!"

He just chuckled, making her narrow her eyes. This guy was starting to piss her off.

**Unlike Itachi!** Inner teased. She too was pissed at the strange acting Koji, but she couldn't resist the tease.

_Itachi is different._

**How so?**

_He was helping me train…_

**And what about the blush?**

_I…Just shut up! My head hurts and I don't need to listen to you!_

There were soft giggles but inner dropped the subject.

*********************************************************************

The three instructors watched the monitors in the room. They explosion was a nice touch of reality and the girl who had indeed chosen the correct door, was injured. But the man should have taken the grunt of the damage…Why was he fine?

"Who is that carrying Haruno Sakura?"asked the tall arrogant man who looked down his nose at the monitor.

"Uh…let's see," said the blonde until he found the name on the list. "Omasu Koji…"

The man flinched at his name as anger filled him "Omasu? From the Sound Village?"

"It says here he is from Suna."

"That's not right. Omasu is a small clan in Sound….Ask the Hokage if she authorized the transfer of a man named Omasu from Suna."

"Hai."

**********************************************************************************

Itachi stared out of his window and let his eyes adjust to the darkness. That was one thing he truly missed. When his sight had slowly diminished, so had his ability to see the stars. Only the bright ones were recognizable but it wasn't the same. Sighing he looked around his room then back to the stars. He had to admit that it real had spiraled down from when Sakura left. Everything seemed different. There was nothing keeping Kisame entertained except for his many runs to the market for more Sake and even he was bored. It was nearly a week that they had been with Sakura and somehow she fit in the puzzle. There was suddenly a place for her with them and he had even looked forward to training with her again. It was a fresh breeze for both of them; something they didn't mind.

Deciding there was nothing to do, he stepped out of his room and walked to the living room where he casually put on his sandals and opened the front door. Kisame was at the door way, ready to open it with a bag of sake in hand and a few vegetables peaking out of the bag in the other with a box written over the top "FrootLoops".

"Hey," Kisame grinned and stepped inside while Itachi looked to him. "You going on a walk?"

"…Perhaps I'll train instead," he mused, knowing that he was bored here in Konoha.

"Yeah? Well, I'll come with." He stepped from the kitchen before gripping Samehade and they walked out of the door; locking it behind them.

******************************************************************

"Lady Hokage will be down in a moment. She ordered that we keep them in the sighs of th cameras," reported the blonde.

"What did she say," asked the tall man.

"She said that the Kazekage didn't sign any papers for transfers since the treaty years ago. Koji isn't from Suna."

"I don't understand," said the warm brunette jounin who shook his head. "Why don't we just go retrieve them?"

"Because," interrupted a new voice. The three men turned to see Tsunade with Jiriaya standing faithfully beside her. "If we make it obvious, he would flip and do something that he would regret."

"You mean, take Haruno as a hostage?"

"Or kill her," Tsunade said quietly. Taking a deep breath and crossing her arms over her chest she glared at the monitor. "Sakura is a smart girl and by now she has figured out that this man isn't who he says he is…" There was a pause. "We will have to be discreet about this…And Sakura will do the rest."

******************************************************************

Sakura was deep in thought. Koji had hardly said anything the whole way. She was curious he wasn't talking away like the day before, but something else came to mind. With her head clearer, she was able to think easier and something just clicked.

From the blast, Koji's fractured ribs would've broken and yet here he walked without even a bead of sweat on his brow. And his wounds…he should have wounds…

What was this?

Subtly, she moved her hand over her stomach as he carried her and just allowed her fingers to brush against his shirt, enough for her to send an undetectable amount in to his ribs. What she found made her gasp and soon after another hit over her head made her fall into darkness.

*********************************************************************

**YAY!!! Another Cllify! Sorry, but I did warn you in the beginning of this fic that it would be darker and not you ordinary/boring story line. If you have read my other fic then you know what I mean. EVERYTHING I put in my stories is in there for a reason!**

**Recap….Remember the conversation with Itachi and Kakashi just a bit ago? Hint-hint if you haven't figured it out. Tobi was interested and there was a man in the shadows watching Sakura….Not to mention that Koji isn't who he seems….**

**Next time, we'll get back to a **_**lot **__**more**_** of Itachi so stayed tuned!!!**

**Thanks to my loyal reviewers! You guys rock and I will answer any questions for you. **

**As for the rest of you….. :p ' REVIEW PLEASE!!! Or I will purposely wait a while to update…I have another story I could be working on and the Sequel so I don't HAVE to work only on this. Plus my new KakashixOC story!! Yeah that will be a kick ass one for those interested!**


	10. Blind

**Hey! Thanks for all the reviews/favs/and so forth!! It really means a lot and encourages me to update faster! This is the last of the fillers (boring ones anyway). Like I said, it will start picking up soon!!! **

**Disclaimer…No Naruto. Ryuu is still busy at the moment with plans of destruction but he told me that he will make a short appearance in the next chappy! **

A pain was the first thing that registered to Sakura. It smoldered at her temples and she had only felt this type of pain a few times before; each of which had ended with her being knocked out. She didn't open her eyes, knowing that it would be best to try and pick up what she could. To start off, she needed to remember what had happened to her. This was easier said then done with her temple throbbing. She remembered an explosion which would explain her shoulder and the way if felt as if separated from her body. Another pain made itself known to her at the side of her head where she could remember hitting her head. So she was still wounded…Another thing. She was being carried. It was really uncomfortable the way her dislocated shoulder hung limply of to the side, not helping the bones the gritted against each other.

Koji…he was the one that knocked her out, but why? What was going on?

The next thing she knew, she was being set down onto the ground. The temperature had dropped and she only assumed that she had been out for an hour or two. Still she could feel the world spinning around her as she waited for the sign that something was happening. The only thing that came was a hand that brushed some hair from her face-effectively shocking her and making emerald eyes shoot open while she pulled back instinctively managing to hit her head on the boulder behind her.

"Ow!" she winced and held a hand to her now pounding head.

Koji chuckled at her and stayed kneeling in front of her until she finally was able to look up at him. "What the fuck?" she hissed quietly.

He didn't say anything at first but instead stared at her with a smirk curling his lips and a tilt of his head. It made her feel suddenly uncomfortable with the situation she was in, but she didn't let it show as she waited for an answer.

"So it's just you and me." He stated as he moved to sit next to her. Sakura resisted the urge to scoot away from him.

"I want an explanation. Why did hit me and how are your wounds healed? Are you a medic?"

"I _know _a medic," he boasted teasingly and leaned his shoulder into hers playfully. Sakura couldn't resist shifting her weight away, which made him frown.

"I didn't heal you so who did?"

"You'll meet him soon enough, princess."

"Who. Did. It?" Her tone was lowered deadly. As far as she knew, they were the only two alive in the forest.

"Just give it a few minutes before he comes. He says he has a present for you anyway."

Sakura had enough of this as she raised her uninjured arm to grip the front of his shirt threateningly, but he knew she was going to do that and grabbed her wrist before flipping their weight so he had her slammed against the boulder. Sakura grunted painfully and the dizziness increased. "Don't be rash, princess. If we wanted you dead then you would already be dead. This isn't so bad if you just cooperate."

"Cooperate?! Why would I do that? Just whose side are you on anyways?"

Koji wiped the back of his hand over his forehead protector only for the emblem of the leaf to be replaced with the symbol of sound. Sakura stared at him, not sure what situation she was in exactly. "He is just going to give you something and you will be released to go back to your team with Uchiha and Hoshigaki…"

"What?" Sakura asked, confused as to what he was saying. "I don't trust you! You work for Orochimaru, don't you?!"

"Orochimaru is a good man. You shouldn't judge him."

"He's a low life bastard…someone like you!" with the last of the statement, she managed to pull her wrist free and punch him before getting to her feet and trying to make a break for it. She hadn't expected him to recover as fast as he tackled her to the ground, knocking the wind out of her. Still, she was able to spin in his grasp and punch him again in the jaw, but she was focusing on her chakra to heal what she could. Koji glared at her as he tried to keep her dangerous hands to her sides as blood leaked from his lip. "Damn, princess, you need to chill!"

"Screw you!" with that clarified, she sent her knee into his groin nearly making his eyes cross. She wiggled from under him and managed to get up before retrieving her katana and running. The kunoichi couldn't stop the relief that flooded her when she recognized the area. It was only a few hundred feet from the gates that led out of the forest and she knew that she was safe once she reached the gates. She was under a partial over hang of a boulder as she ran around the corner only to collide into a chest. Before she fell back, two hands caught her letting her see the face of her rescuer.

"Ah, Sakura-chan. What a pleasure running into you."

"Don't touch me," she hissed and jerked from his grip. "What are you doing here Kabuto? Going to attack Konoha again?"

Kabuto only chuckled and pushed his glasses higher up the bridge of his nose. "Not yet, we aren't, but in due time."

He started walking to Sakura but she only clenched her fist that wasn't dislocated. "Take another step and I will fucking hit hard enough that no one would recognize you."

Kabuto smirked at her threat and was clearly un-phased as he took another step daringly. He turned his attention to Koji was who was finally getting to his feet with a pained expression plastered on. "I see you underestimated her."

"Hai, Kabuto-san," he said obediently.

Kabuto didn't say anything else and looked to Sakura. "I have a present for you, Sakura-chan."

"Keep it-I'm not interested."

"But I picked it out just for you," he said while rummaging through his pocket before pulling out a small red box that fit in the palm of his hand. Sakura instinctively unsheathed her sword and held it to her side. Kabuto smiled at her hostility and tsk-ed at her with his tongue. "No need for that. All you have to do is take this box and we will leave you."

"It's a trick and I won't fall for it. There is something in that box that will only cause problems."

"I assure you that it is only a token of my appreciation towards you. Think of it as a gift for getting so far ahead with your medical training. Medic-to-medic…"

Sakura didn't trust his tone and she gripped her hilt tighter. She wouldn't fall for his games….

She knew that there had to be some one close by. Perhaps someone like a shinobi on guard or a jounin getting off late…Maybe Kakashi getting lost on the road to life or Hell- she would thank Kami for Gai being out late training….With this in mind, she didn't contain her chakra as she let it out slowly in distress. Hopefully they would be able to giver her a little bit of back up or at least enough to re-adjust her shoulder. Then she could take care of these two.

"There are guards blocking the gate Koji so we will have to get out the easy way. I hope you have enough chakra."

"Don't worry about it. I'll be fine."

"Glad to hear it," he smiled and turned to Sakura. "What are you thinking right now?"

Sakura blinked but her hostile glare didn't lessen. "If it was meant to be heard then I would tell you instead of keeping it to myself."

"Watch your tone, Sakura-chan. You'll hurt my feelings."

Sakura scoffed and quickly began to weigh her chances at getting away or at least getting rid of these two…

**************************************************************

"Where are they?!" Tsunade raged at the three men working frantically to find a camera angle on Koji and Sakura. Where every they were at, there were no camera's in that part of the forest.

"The only place they could've is somewhere in the outer parts of the forest. Somewhere lose to the gates…" one of the men explained.

"Are you sure?"

"Yes…Positive."

"Damn it!" she cursed under her breath and watched a rerun of Sakura getting carried out of the tunnels by Koji. It was now in Sakura's hands to get away…

**************************************************************************

Sakura charged at Kabuto with her blade and swung at his head, but he ducked under, letting the blade cut a few strands of his hair. He quickly kicked at Sakura, but she countered it with her shin and made to stab him again, but he gripped her arm, stopping the blade inches from his chest. Sakura tried to push her chakra into her arm, but he quickly used his free hand to cut into her forearm with a chakra scalpel. Sakura bit back a scream and instead opted for head butting Kabuto, making him fall onto his butt.

"That was a bad idea…" Sakura regretted as she held her head and fell to her knees with the pain blinding her. Tears from the pain filled to the rim of her eyes and she desperately tried to force chakra through her arm only for it to end in failure. The pain was becoming unbearable and she desperately wished that she wasn't alone. Suddenly, two arms pulled her to her feet from behind and held her arms tight. "That really wasn't smart, Princess."

"Shut up and let me go," she hissed quietly. She wasn't in any position to make orders and he knew it.

Kabuto got to his feet and walked to her while rubbing his own head. "There is something wrong with you, Sakura-chan. You never go for the head."

Sakura said nothing, still the pain blinded her and she tried to get out of Koji's grip. It was a futile attempt and she could sense Kabuto stand in front of her. She could hear him pulling something out and she opened her eyes to see a blurry outline of Kabuto in front of her messing with something in his hands. Again, she struggled but Koji only laughed at her efforts. Her chakra was rolling off in waves as to attract anyone's attention but she highly doubted that the guards would dare go into the forest if they knew what was good for them. "Hold out her hand," Kabuto ordered Koji bringing Sakura out of her thoughts. She could feel him pulling her uninjured arm from behind her back but she tried to keep it away. Even without her chakra in her arm she still had amazing strength, which only succeeded in giving Koji a harder time before he actually was able to get her hand to Kabuto. Koji held a tight grip on her wrist with her palm up, but she curled her fingers, not trusting Kabuto.

He only smirked and set his own hand on hers. "Open up, Sakura-chan."

**Psh! Yeah right!**

Getting no reaction except a burning glare, he pulled out a kunai and twirled it tauntingly in his hand. "Please?"

Sakura jerked her hand feebly and sent chakra to her leg before kicking Kabuto in the side. The medic stumbled from the blow but was lucky there wasn't enough force to break any ribs. Koji was too busy trying to keep Sakura from getting away and Kabuto was growing agitated over her stubborn nature. Of course it only compelled him to want to solve the mystery of her more.

Straightening up, he fixed his glasses and walked to her until he was up against her. He didn't want to fight her to take the box but had a little trick up his sleeve that would prove more entertaining. Sakura was weary of their close proximity and she knew it showed on her face. Koji was holding her arms behind her and Kabuto was only inches in front… Of course she was far from giving up and used her hand into a few signals that she learned with one hand. Kabuto barely had time to blink before Sakura reached out her hand and gripped his forearm. By reversing her chakra through the blocked chakra paths-thanks to the scalpel-she used as much force as she could to redirect it; effectively working as her chakra slowly pushed through her her hand.

Kabuto's eyes widened once he realized that she knew how to counter the chakra scalpel but it was too late for him to get out of her vice grip. Suddenly, the jutsu set in and a burning pain bleed up his arm, turning his skin darker with the veins growing till visible under his skin. He held out in agony and used his free hand to cut into her arm again with the scalpel, knowing she wouldn't be able to counter it twice. This time, Sakura screamed and Koji was able to pull both arms behind her back. Kabuto examined his arm that was slowly returning to normal but all the same he used his chakra to heal it faster. He turned back to Sakura with a look she couldn't read while opening his mouth to say something.

Before he could form words, a figure appeared behind him and sent a kunai into the back of his shoulder before vanishing in the shadows. Sakura looked around desperately to see who it was but was distracted at Kabuto's grunt from the kunai. Pulling it out of his shoulder he glared pointedly at it as if it had just insulted him. Anger was stained over his features and he tossed the kunai into the ground making it land direct. "Who was that?" Koji asked as he sent his chakra out. There was a slight contact of foreign chakra that he found but it vanished almost immediately.

"Some one who doesn't want us here," Kabuto said in a low tone. He smirked cunningly and looked to Sakura. "Looks like someone cares about you after all."

The meaning behind it sent a cold chill down her, but whether it was from anger or grief, she didn't know. He was referring to Sasuke and how he had left her behind-the meaning was all to clear for the kunoichi. "I seemed to have attracted your attention," she spat back.

"But my reasons are clearly professional. Tell me," he said as he formed a scalpel in each hand. "How is it that you improved so much?"

"You'd be surprised what a target paper with your face on it can accomplish."

**Cha! You tell him!!**

Sakura inwardly smirked but when she saw the cocky expression fall from Kabuto's face, she let the smirk grace her lips brightly.

"You have a sharp tongue, Sakura-chan." He chuckled after he recovered. "It will be fun when the war starts. I have a feeling you will keep things interesting."

Suddenly the man hiding from the shadows appeared behind Kabuto who was momentarily distracted and knocked him to his feet. Kabuto landed with a thump and a huge object was thrown towards him that he narrowly missed as he rolled to the side. The figure looked to the white-haired medic who stood to his feet. "Keh," the figure grunted and lifted the object over his shoulder. "You're a damn worm like your master."

Emerald eyes widened and she grinned darkly at Kabuto who was clearly displeased at the intruder. "You're gonna get your ass kick now!"

Kabuto tossed her a glare and turned back to Kisame. "Well sorry to disappoint but this brute isn't fast enough to be a threat."

"You're right about that," Kisame said indifferently while scratching his chin. "But she wasn't referring to me…"

The hair on the back of Kabuto's neck stood on end as a second presence alerted him that some one was at his back. A kunai slowly slid over his shoulder and touched his neck hauntingly like a ghost. "Itachi…I would say what a pleasant surprise but I would be lying through my teeth."

"Since when did you have a conscious?"

Kabuto shrugged lightly. "Can't argue with that."

Itachi said nothing and looked to Koji who had Sakura's hands behind her back and her own sword at her throat much like Kabuto at the moment.

"It seems as if we are on level ground with neither side having the advantage…" Kabuto grinned.

"Don't be a fool," Kisame said with his own grin firmly in place. Suddenly, Koji was hit over the back of the head by the real Kisame before the one in front of Kabuto disappeared in a poof of smoke. Sakura looked down to Koji at her feet and then to Kabuto smugly.

His grin had long since been wiped clean like slate and he quickly analyzed his options. "Well…that wasn't very fun."

Itachi narrowed his eyes and pressed the kunai into Kabuto's throat but like he suspected, it was a substitution and the real one was long gone…

"What the Hell?!" Sakura yelled. "He got away!"

"We all saw that kitten," Kisame grinned.

Sakura glared at his teasing. "Clearly but I'm pissed!"

"So?"

"So that means that I _can _state the obvious!"

"Did you miss us that much?"

Sakura blinked before looking to Itachi who watched with interest as she tried to answer the question. She had to admit that out of all the people she wished to have at the moment were the two in front of her…but would she tell them that? No. "Can we just go?"

Kisame chuckled and Itachi continued to watch her grow uncomfortable with his stare. He had hardly been here for five minutes and she was already amusing him.

"Let's go then." Kisame picked up the unconscious Koji and swung him carelessly over his shoulder before heading out of the forest. "So…how were the exams?"

"Oh you know," Sakura said teasingly with a wave of her hand in the air. "A little bit of this and that…the usual life and death you get in a forest."

"Sounds boring."

"It was. Too bad you weren't there to keep things interesting."

At this Itachi chuckled, shocking the two beside him. "You will have plenty of time for that on missions."

Sakura smiled but didn't reply. She was surprisingly excited to have the first mission with her new team. She wondered how the others were getting along….

****************************************************************

"You fucking bitch! I was going to sacrifice that, you slut!"

"Shut up you dick-weed! I won't let you kill it!"

"It's gonna fucking die anyway-let me put it out of its damn misery!"

"I_ said_ No!!"

"I don't give a fuck what you say!" Hidan reached around to try and grab it but Ino swung away from him protectively. "Shit! Just hand it over!"

"Screw you!"

"Please do!"

"You're a sick bastard."

Hidan grinned and stepped closer so his face was in hers and he narrowed his eyes with a sick desire. "I love it when you talk dirty."

Ino for the first time blushed and Hidan couldn't help but find it attractive on her skin. It made him want to see it more often…after he got the sacrifice out of the way of course.

Suddenly the doors swung open and Kiba ran in frantically while looking under the couch and table-not even sparing a glance in Ino and Hidan's direction. "INO!! Have you seen it? I can't find it anywhere and Akamaru hasn't picked up the scent either!"

"Uuuhhhh. Kiba…." Ino said slowly.

He lifted his head up and looked over to see that Ino had it in her hands wrapped in a small towel. Suddenly a little white head popped out. "Yuki!!!"

_Bark-bark!_

Kiba ran to Ino and carefully pulled the small puppy from her arms and looked at it. It was a snow white color with a single brown spot on his back and he wagged his tail happily at Kiba before licking him. Kiba chuckled and put the small puppy on his head.

Hidan watched with a smoldering glare that burned deeper as the seconds ticked by. The glare and displeased grunt went unnoticed by the two in the room. "Hinata was worried for you buddy. Let's get you back to her…"

"Hinata?" Ino asked.

"Yeah. My mom's dog had puppies and Hinata took this one. She loves Akamaru so much that her family let her get one, hoping it would keep her safe at home. I have to go right now but thanks for finding him!!" Kiba closed the door on the way out followed by little yips of joy until they had left the apartments.

"See? What is wrong with you? That puppy was so cute!"

"Now I have to find another fucking sacrifice!!! Screw it all!" Hidan yelled while tossing his arms into the air while Ino rolled her eyes.

***************************************************************************

_They were probably finding it easier then what I had at first_….Sakura mused…

****************************************************************************

It was only a few minutes later that they reached the gates and were let out by the guards. Tsunade and the three men from the exam stood at the entrance and a look of shock crossed every face.

"Uchiha, Hoshigaki…what are you two doing here? And what happened…Sakura, you look like hell!" Tsunade rambled and immediately went into "mother goose" mode. Sakura smiled as the blonde began to heal her injuries in record time.

"I don't think she looks that bad," Itachi said just enough for Sakura, Kisame, and Tsunade to hear. When they looked to him questioningly, he stared off as if nothing had happened. Sakura brushed it off has his own way of teasing. **(Pst-clueless…)**

"So what do we do with the prick?" Kisame said with a bump of his shoulder. "I could deposit him on Zetsu's doorstep…" this time he wrinkled his eye brows suggestively at Sakura making her laugh.

"Though I wouldn't care, we need to get information from him." Tsunade explained as she relocated Sakura's shoulder, making her whimper slightly, trying to keep the sting of tears back.

"Oh-I got it. Then I'll just drop him off at Hidan's…"

Tsunade stopped working on Sakura and tossed a dry look to Kisame. "We have our own people who can handle just fine, Hoshigaki. Just hand him to one of the men over there and they'll take him to Ibiki."

At first Sakura thought that Kisame was going to argue but he merely shrugged after a moment of thought and walked to the three men. "You guys aren't fun at all…"

Sakura couldn't help but grin at Kisame. He was at least trying to make an effort to fit in and listen to the rules…

"What's this?" Tsunade asked as she looked to Sakura's head where the gash was bleeding slightly.

"Oh…that was from an explosion in the tunnels," Sakura explained sheepishly. Tsunade reached to heal her wound, but Sakura shied away, knowing that it may need stitches and she wasn't interest in that. "Don't worry. It's nothing-"

"Let her look at it," Itachi said from behind her. Tsunade threw a strange look at him but ignored it as she took advantage of Sakura's momentary distraction.

"Ow! Shishou…"

"Don't complain. It'll only take a second to heal," she badgered like a mother as she went to work on it. "How were you able to sneak in without the guards realizing?" she asked to Itachi.

"I suspect the same way that Kabuto was able to get out."

"Kabuto?" the blonde spun around to him with weary amber eyes. "Kabuto was here?"

Sakura rubbed her temples that had started to dull with the constant throb. "Yeah. Him and Koji were in on something, but I don't know what it was. Itachi and Kisame arrived just on time, though when we realized that he had used a substitution, he was already gone."

"That sneaky prick. What did he want?"

"I don't know," Sakura said grudgingly. "He was going to give me something, but I don't know what it was. I didn't want to find out anyway."

"I'm afraid there is more bad news, Lady Hokage," bowed one of the men that stepped to them. "Omasu and Haruno-san were the only ones who made it out alive. The others were found killed through out the forest."

Sakura recognized him as the tall warm brunette from only a few days ago and she could tell there was something on his mind.

"It was a life or death test. It was to be expected," Tsunade explained in her business tone and turned to watch the two other men carrying Koji to Ibiki's interrogation room.

"But there's something else… We just finished searching Omasu's kunai bag and the scrolls weren't there. I'm afraid that Kabuto may have taken them when he escaped."

"Actually," Sakura grinned and reached into her own pouch. "I happen to have them here." She held out her hand and both scrolls were there shining brightly.

"Well look at that, kitten! I'd say you past!" Kisame congratulated and hit her on the shoulder. "What do you say?" This time he tossed the last part of the question to the brunette man.

"I couldn't agree more! This really does cause for a celebration, Haruno-san!"

"Thank you," she nodded.

Tsunade smiled brightly and gave a crushing hug to Sakura-forgetting Kabuto all together. "My apprentice is growing up!!!"

"Hokage-san." Itachi said, attracting the blonde's attention as she blinked. "I believe Sakura can't breath."

"Oh-right." She set Sakura down who filled her lungs with rich air.

"I think I need a few drinks," Sakura finally said.

"But you just got out of an exam that you were in for a few days. Aren't you tired?" The brunette asked incredulously.

"No…really. I need a drink." She assured. "I'll be fine."

"That's my girl!" Tsunade took one of Sakura's hands while Kisame took another while chanting together "To the bar!!" leaving Sakura looking back helplessly at the amused Itachi who followed closely behind the three.

**********************************************************************************

She wasn't expecting a party….No. She expected a drink or two…Hell maybe even three. But word spreads fast through Konoha and when she got to the bar, Kakashi, Tobi, Ino, Hidan, Tenten, Kakuzu, Neji, Kisame, Itachi, Deidara, the brunette from the exams, Naruto, Hinata, and a few others that she didn't take the time to remember. It had been a few hours since she had first arrived and she was feeling the exhaustion set into every bone and blood vessel in her.

Damn she was tired. The many alcohol drinks had taken its affect on her long ago and she couldn't be more grateful as the pain subsided. Kakashi had been the first to congratulate her, saying how proud he was of her being the first rookie member to make the Anbu. Neji had followed since he was already in the Anbu squad from a year and a half earlier. She could tell there was a new respect that he showed her with those deep eyes of his. It wasn't long before Ino, Tenten and Hinata followed over to her and took her to the bar for her first few drinks, laughing and giggling as the alcohol took the effect over the kunoichis.

It wasn't even twenty minutes when Kakashi told her he had to go, seeing as every fiber in his being told him it was a bad idea to let Tobi be around alcohol. Sakura smiled and let him go while looking over to see that Jiriaya had joined the group and sat with Tsunade and Shizune at a round booth.

"Let's go, fore-head," Ino teased while pulling Sakura off the stool.

"Where are we going Ino-pig?"

"I want to sit at the big table! They look like their having fun!!"

Tenten sighed. "That's where all the guys are at. Let's sit in that booth so we can listen in to what their saying instead."

Ino paused in dragging the tired Sakura and looked over to where the brunette was pointing. "Yeah that's a great idea!"

"But…shouldn't w-we…I mean I don't you think we s-shouldn't ease drop on them," Hinata replied hesitantly while looking to the mix of Akatsuki members and the Konoha team mates.

"What are you worried about? They won't try and kill you or anything," Tenten waved off.

Sakura was going to try and reassure the troubled Hyuga but a hand clamped over her shoulder, making her jump and look back to see the brunette haired man. "Excuse me Haruno-san, but I have something to give you."

"What is it?" Ino burst out but earned a deadly glare from the pink-haired kunoichi.

The man only chuckled and pulled something from behind his back before handing it to Sakura.

The said girl looked at it curiously before taking it and looking at the dark black package in her hands with a beautiful silver bow.

"Open it, forehead!! I want to see it!"

"Ino! Let her do it!" Tenten chided.

Carefully Sakura unraveled it and pulled the paper off to see an ebony black cloak and surprisingly light weight silver guards that were used as armor.

Itachi watched from the end of his table with Naruto and Neji looking to see what had her smiling brightly. Of course Itachi knew and was waiting patiently for her to look under the cloak. Everyone else was too busy drinking and laughing about stories from missions.

Turning to the table beside her, she set it down to unravel the cloak but suddenly something dropped to the top of the table and she lowered the cloak to see what had fallen.

Suddenly her smile dropped for only a second at the sight of the mask and emerald eyes widened. It was a smooth porcelain surface with beautiful swirls of black and red paint. It looked like eyeliner around the eyes and two whiskers on either cheek. A smile graced her lips and she wasn't aware that Naruto had gotten up to see it. "Wow! That's so cool, Sakura!"

"Thanks Naruto! Here put it on! I want to see what it looks like on you!" she chanted and handed it to Naruto.

He stared at it hesitantly, truly wanting to just put it on, buy he asked anyway, "Are you sure?"

"Yeah! Hurry up I want to see."

Naruto gave a foxy grin before sliding it over his face. Sakura couldn't help but burst into laughter at the mask on him seeing as it was overly feminine. "Sorry Naruto-but I would wait to get yours if I were you!"

"Don't worry," he yelled and thrust a thumb in the air at Sakura. "I'll be the next one to get into Anbu, believe it! Then we can have some missions together again!"

"Since when did you get so smart?" she swung an arm over his shoulders and gave him a hug. Naruto laughed but before he could come with a snap back, Deidara called him over for some food. Of course when food was in the mix, he was there.

Sakura turned back to the brunette and he smiled warmly to her. "Last but not least…"

His hands went into a few hand signs before he placed a palm onto Sakura's forearm. Suddenly, she felt a burn scar her arm and she winced forcing in the gasp from the sudden heat. As soon as it started, he pulled away and his smiled grew before holding out a hand to her. Sakura looked to her arm to see the anbu tattoo beautifully curved in the traditional style and shook his hand while beaming brightly. "Congratulations, Haruno-san. You are officially an Anbu."

"Thank you." She watched him turn and walk away before Ino jerked her into the booth between her and Tenten.

"Hey that's hot!" Ino squealed and pulled at Sakura's arm to get a better look at it through the dim lights in the bar.

"You have to catch up, Ino. Tell me," she said in a teasing voice. "Are you scared now?"

"Psh! You wish forehead!"

"You r-really have improved Sakura," Hinata said bashfully.

Sakura only smiled softly to her before Tenten turned the subject rather abruptly. "Ino-what do you keep looking at?"

Sakura looked to Ino just in time to see her blink in surprise before forcing a grin. "Nothing."

"Um-hm…That means something," Tenten pointed. "You've been staring off all night whenever you aren't badgering one of us. So tell me what you're thinking about."

"I said nothing." Ino added with crossing her arms over her chest as if it was a sign to say that it was final. "Just drop it."

"Come on Ino-pig, Tenten is right."

"Y-yeah. Is there something wrong?"

Ino fumed silently but didn't say anything. Again, she accidently risked a glance into the direction of the other teams table, giving away a certain end where a certain man sat.

Sakura, Tenten, and Hinata leaned over to see if they could tell exactly who Ino was staring at but were scared back into their seats when Ino flashed from her thoughts again. "Will you guys just drop it?!"

"Come on and tell us!" Tenten pleaded, but Sakura was too busy watching Ino pout and sulk to herself, hating how she was foolish enough to look when the three girls across the table were on her case. Again she couldn't resist when a loud laughter sounded over the others. She knew that laugh. Unwillingly she glanced at the corner of her eye to see Hidan look at her before grinning wickedly and winking. That was it. She couldn't hold the blush rising to her cheeks and the twitch of her lips.

Tenten and Hinata watched her mask slip as it turned to what Hinata looked like when she was with Naruto. Each grinned at each other, but were unable to figure out what it was that gave her that reaction, or better yet, who.

Sakura, though had caught the mouse in its trap. With a sly grin she elbowed Tenten and pointed to Hidan at the end of the table who cursed at Deidara over something with Kakuzu joining in.

Realization dawned on the brunette and Hyuga. "Since when did you have the hots for Hidan?" Tenten mocked as she leaned forward onto the table.

Blue eyes shot open in surprise and Ino tried to form words but it came out in "I-umph-the-Howdid-Ican't-stupid….ugh!"

"Well?"

"Look! I confess, I think he has a nice body-I mean come on! Look at him!"

Sakura raised an eyebrow.

Ino saw this and glared. "I don't like him like that! Just because he's attractive doesn't mean that I'm going to fall for him!"

"Oh of course not," Hinata said under her breath making the other two girls laugh. "You're h-heart rate pumps chakra in amazing s-speed when ever you l-look at him."

"That doesn't mean anything!"

"Come on Ino, we're all girls here. Just tell us." Tenten pushed again.

"There's nothing to tell."

Sakura sighed, knowing that Ino wouldn't budge on the situation. She took her ninth drink and gulped it down, feeling more then just the alcohol working. She was incredibly light headed and was surprised at how early she was starting to crash. She was used to sake and could hold her alcohol, but with her body exhausted from the exams and lack of sleep, she was sure that it wouldn't be long until her body failed her and she got her much needed sleep.

…Maybe she should go home….

Looking over to the other table, she could see Neji watching the others cheer and laugh about past missions while Naruto and Dediara were face down onto the table sleeping away. She wondered where Lee, Kiba, Shino and Sai were at. Then again only Kiba would be the type to come to the bar. Sai probably would, but it was for the best that he didn't seeing as there was currently a room full of criminals. Kisame and Hidan were drinking shots left and right, making her wonder about Hidan's liver. Would it go bad or was he already dead? Perhaps his immortality kept him healthy and healed whenever it needed to be in perfect health? Why was she thinking about it? Was she really that tired? It was then that something seemed to go off in her head and she looked up to see a pair of eyes watching her from the opposite side of the table.

Her mind was fuzzy and she could barely register that Itachi had been glancing at her all evening long. It wasn't like it was one-sided. She had been tossing sneaky glances as well, but she wasn't sure why. Just to know where he was at, she supposed. Maybe to see if he would drink like Kisame and Hidan… Hell maybe just to look at him. It wasn't like she saw someone look so….calm and welcoming but in the same breath, cold and dangerous. She couldn't help her mind from wondering to what he would be like on a mission. Would he be the same unpredictable man she saw now? Or would he be cold like the killer he was? Kisame she could handle but something else came to mind. Though she didn't trust Itachi and still was determined to know the truth about the massacre of his clan, she couldn't help but wonder why he seemed to always save her. When ever he was near and she needed help, he had come at the perfect time. First at the bridge and then in the forest with Kabuto. And strangely enough….she didn't mind being saved by him…Was it because he acknowledged her strength when many others didn't? That had to be it….It was the only explanation.

"Sakura? Hey forhead!" Ino yelled, finally getting the coral-haired kunoichi's attention.

Sakura quickly snapped out of her musing and looked to Ino. "I asked how your team was doing."

"Oh. It's fine I guess. We trained and then I healed Itachi's eyes a few times, but he is far from finished. Kisame keeps me entertained and there is always something to do. Other then that it's really boring."

"Tell me more about Itachi," Tenten encouraged. "He seems so…_mysterious_."

"Well there's your answer right there," Sakura said with a yawn, proud that she had thought of a perfect lie. "He is very mysterious and I haven't learned anything about him."

"And why not? I mean he's a looker-no lying there," Ino teased.

"Why don't you go ask him," Sakura said quietly and rested her head in her arms, still holding her new mask.

"Are you crazy? I think I have a better chance at asking Hidan not to kill the next helpless old lady crossing the street!"

"Is h-he really that b-bad?" Hinata asked shakily.

"Yes!! Yuki was on his list of who to kill, but I was lucky enough to walk in just in time!"

"N-no I mean Uchiha-san," Hinata said before the realization donned on her. "What did you say?"

"Don't worry. Kiba took him safely to you," Ino waved off and scowled at Sakura's lack of reaction. At least Tenten was wide eyed and speechless at what she just said, Hinata wasn't far behind. But Ino paid them no mind as she poked Sakura in the arm. "Hey- I was still talking!"

_Poke-poke-poke…_

"Sa-ku-ra…"

_Poke-poke-poke…_

_Poke-poke-POKE!_

Sakura was trying to ignore Ino, but the poking was insistent. Just when she had enough, she looked up to see Ino with her poking finger hanging frozen in mid-air. The table was quiet and they were not even looking at the drowsy kunoichi, but instead were too focused on something behind her.

Furrowing her brows, she looked back before jumping in fright at the rather close body of Uchiha Itachi.

"Kami, you scared me," she said with a hand on her forehead. She turned to look at the others who hadn't taken their eyes from him. Again she spun in her chair to look at him, but sleep was coming for her. "What are you doing?"

Itachi saw her eyes shut slightly and knew she was beyond tired. With a small smirk, he pulled her chair out just enough to help her stand. "You've had enough for tonight," he said as he took a step back to see if she could handle it.

"I was going to turn in anyway…" she drawled out and wobbled slightly before gripping the table. "Damn Kakashi isn't here to take me back home," she mumbled to herself, but Itachi heard.

Without another word, he swept Sakura gracefully into his arms and slowly disappeared from the bar in dark grey smoke. Tenten, Ino and Hinata blinked a few times, each thinking the same thing.

"_I must be dreaming…"_

******************************************************************************

Itachi was aware that no one else had seen them leave, but he really didn't care if they did. It wasn't his concern if their expectations of him were different then what they saw. He knew Sakura was in no shape to get home by her self and her friends weren't in much better condition. And let's face it; he didn't want her picking up bad habits like her shihou with falling asleep in the bars. Then he would have to regularly be looking for her at 3 in the morning at all the bars and night clubs. Not something he was interested in.

He would've left her for Kisame to get home, but that was a fools thought. Kisame was barely responsible enough to get himself home. Though, he was dependable when the time arrived. A sober or drunk Kisame was still dangerous in a fight, though it was a mystery to Itachi to this day as to how that was.

It wasn't important though. As long as his team was ready to train tomorrow then there were no complaints. He looked down to the slumbering kunoichi in his arms. She had nearly fallen asleep once he took her strain off of her feet and she was snuggled closely into his black t-shirt. A cold tendril of wind swept around them and he was pleased to see they were at their apartment door. Skillfully, he unlocked, closed, and relocked the door before making his way to Sakura's room and setting her down into her mattress. He vaguely pondered changing her clothes seeing as she hadn't changed from the exams, but he dismissed the idea, knowing it wasn't that important, so instead, he opted for covering her with the sheets before walking out to her door before stopping and looking back at her once again.

Through his blindness where he could only make out height and color……he couldn't help but wonder what she really looked like…….

**Well there you go. Like I said, there was more of Itachi in it. As for the next chapter, things start to pick up as a mission is assigned…..**

**Oh, boy! Can't wait till that comes!!!**

**Anywho, please review and let me know what you think. I'll have the next update the beginning of next week!!**

**And what did you think about Hidan and Ino? ^w^**

**Review please!! I want to know what you think so far! It really is appreciated!**

**Until next time!**

**Ja ne!**


	11. Anbu and Secrets

**Thanks so much for the reviews and fav's! You guys are great! I'm so happy you guys love it!!! i want to apologize for any typos in advance. I have finals this week and next meaning I can't catch all the mistakes!**

**Now this chapter isn't the best. Actually, the whole Kisame and Sakura watching TV isn't my style, but it came to me and I was having a short writer's block so I ran with the idea. I think it ruined the chapter, but whatever. This is just a transition chapter seeing as the teams are now acting like teams. **

**Let's get some missions going now!!! WARNING: this story is rated M for a reason for later chapters so I don't want you to say I didn't warn you.**

**Disclaimer…it's just me and Ryuu…**

A string of drool leaked from the kunoichi's mouth as she sat up and rubbed her eyes before opening to the bright sunlight shining through her curtains. Pain from the light stretched from her eyes to her temples and she groaned before falling back onto the bed.

Bed?

How did she get there?

Ugh…it wasn't important. Her head ached from all the recent healing and alcohol combination and she was hardly able to think back on the night before where she received her Anbu gear. She pulled her pillow over her face and slowly let her chakra soothe her headache. Today was the first day that she was officially an Anbu…the first from the rookie 12 to become part of the special ops. Unless Sasuke was Anbu for Sound…._Nah! He's too busy trying to kill Itachi to care about rank._

Suddenly she heard laughing in her mind and she winced as her headache spiked momentarily before dying down. _Do you mind?_

**Sorry but I couldn't help it!!!**

"What are you talking about," she groaned as the sunlight was starting to agitate the pink kunoichi.

**Well Naruto just past the Chunnin meaning that the only person left as a **_**genin**_** is-**

"Sasuke!" Sakura yelled in realization and a humorous smile brightened her lips. She couldn't help but laugh and didn't take mind in favoring her aching head. The laugh was worth it. She wondered what Itachi's expression would be if she told him that…. Hmmm, maybe she should find out….

Wow how that tables had turned on the prodigy. Sasuke was so power hungry but in status he was as harmless as an agitated cat. Of course she knew it wasn't true but it made her smile none the less. She mentally kept that little piece of information for a rainy day in the back of her mind incase Naruto was ever down. He would get a kick out of it and she could see him taking the opportunity of rubbing it in his face the next time they saw him…

"_Hey Teme! Guess who's behind the Anbu mask!" _

"_..Hn."_

"_Yup it's me!!...." pause… "Hey-where's _your _anbu mask?"_

_Glare. "Shut up, dobe."_

Oh, that would be an interesting reunion for sure. Sighing, she sat up, determined to take a shower and get out of the filthy clothes. Quickly she rummaged through the drawers and made her way to the bath room, thankful the guys were gentlemen enough to let her have the master room. _It must have been Itachi's doing 'cause Kisame would've claimed it for himself… _She thought dryly.

She closed the door behind her and set her clothes down, looking in the mirror and wincing back at her appearance. Only one thing ran through her mind…"I went to the bar like _this_?" Blood, soot, and dirt covered her shirt front and caked her skin. It was clear that she was in an explosion from the smoky colors around her eyes and down the bridge of her nose. Then came the issue with her once lustrous coral hair. Not it hung in a tangled mess, barely in its original ponytail that she had it in when she was competing in the exam. She hastily turned on the shower and was welcome with the spray of water before pulling her clothes off; having a particularly hard time with her shirt, but she managed while jumping into the shower before the shirt hit the ground.

It was only twenty minutes later when she emerged from her room with her hair hanging in small waves from the water that clung to her wet locks. The pain in her head had died down from her chakra and was now a mild hangover, but she wasn't complaining. It was still an improvement from earlier that morning.

As she turned into the living room, she saw Kisame lying sprawled across the couch while watching television. His head was tilted awkwardly and one leg was over the back of the couch while he held a remote in one hand and a strange concoction drink in the other. It was clearly and act of talent; seeing as Kakashi was the only man she knew who could multitask with his faithful orange book with him all the time. She had always assumed it was the female race that knew such things… An elegant eyebrow rose and she put her hands on her hips. It was then that Kisame noticed her. He flashed his famous toothy grin that would scare many others away that didn't know it was just the way he smiled. His jagged pointed teeth were a fearsome acknowledgement.

"Look who's finally up."

"Finally? What are you talking about?" she asked while looking around for the non-existent clock.

"It's 10:30, kitten." He flipped through a few more channels until he came across his favorite…Ninja Warrior. "Haha!" he barked in laughter. "Have you seen this show?"

Sakura furrowed her brows and looked to the screen. "No. What is it?"

"It's called Ninja Warrior where civilians with no chakra try and do things that we are trained for in the academy. The stupid pansys."

Sakura sat down on the chair and watched it for a moment, laughing with Kisame as someone came out in a Spiderman's out fit-apparently a comic hero from America. After the first round, she couldn't help but hold her sides with Kisame's many crude jokes and cracks about the "talent wasted pansys". She had to agree with him that it was a stupid show.

After the laughter died, she could feel the pain spike and she gripped her head while falling back into her chair.

"What's the matter, kitten?"

"I still have a small hangover," she mumbled.

"Keh. Well there's extra in the blender," he said motioning to his drink he had in his hand. "It's a miracle worker."

Sakura pulled her hand away and gave him a questioning glare. "What is it?"

"A blend of fruit for hangovers that I made…Actually it's Deidara's creation, but the same thing."

Sakura looked warily to his glass in hand and back to the blender staring back at her from the counter. She had tried many other concoctions for hangover-sworn to work-and they had all ended horribly with ingredients she refused to mention. You can see her dilema.

"Would I lie to you?" Kisame asked, seemingly knowing what she was thinking.

Sakura looked to his grinning face. "I wouldn't put it past you," she said while crossing her arms.

A look of mock hurt flashed over his face. "Come on kitten! When have I lied to you?"

Sakura pondered for a moment…he hadn't lied to her but he did lie to Itachi about her wanting to train with him, but it wasn't really a lie. Itachi knew it was just him teasing, but still….No still. There was no argument for it.

"Fine," she said grudgingly and walked to the lonely blender before pulling out a cup and empting the rest of its contents into the glass. She walked back to the chair and sat down while looking fearfully at the strange purple liquid. "This isn't going to kill me is it?" she asked skeptically.

Kisame scoffed. "I'm your team mate now, so you better start trusting me."

"Alright, I get it." She looked long and hard at the liquid before gathering her nerves and taking a healthy sip.

The sweet taste welcomed her and she blinked. "That's actually pretty good," she said as she took another.

Kisame laughed. "All it is, is mixed fruit…And a vegetable here and there." He took his own sip and flipped through the channels. "Damn there's nothing good on!"

"Toss me the remote," she said while holding out a hand. He handed her the remote after a hesitated pause and she turned to one of her favorites.

"UFC?" he asked, never hearing of it.

"Yeah. I was over at Kiba's one day and he was watching it. Since then I was hooked!!"

"What is it?" he asked as he watched two men throwing punches.

"It's a fighting league where they come from all over the world to compete. They have their own ranks and skills in mixed martial arts," she explained while staring engrossed in the show.

**************************************************************************

Itachi walked down the hall to the apartment door with two bags in is hand. He had wanted to get some training today but there was too much on his mind to concentrate. His trouble some thoughts were focused mainly on Kabuto and why he had come all the way to Konoha. It was obviously for Sakura and he was aware that he wanted her as an apprentice. She was highly trained by Tsunade and her skills were well known. But why would he risk coming all the way into an enemy village? To the stoic Uchiha it seemed that Kabuto was too confident in not getting caught that there was something behind it. This lead to something else. How did the white-haired medic know that Sakura was going to be in the Anbu exams when no one else in Konoha knew except for himself, Kisame, Kakashi and Tsunade? All of these questions pointed to there being a leak in Konoha…..and it was someone close. It looked like betrayal was already breeding and the first battle had yet to start….

As he reached the door he paused in opening it when enthusiastic shouts were heard from the other side. Why were they yelling…and weren't they sleeping when he left?

Opening the door, he was welcomed with a sight of Sakura and Kisame sitting at the edge of their seats, punching the air and cheering for two men on TV that were viciously toe-to-toe, throwing punches. They hadn't noticed him standing in the door way and he vaguely wondered if they still had alcohol in their systems…_Well_, he reasoned_, if Kisame made the fruit concoction then obviously they would seeing as the hangover drink was basically alcohol and fruit…_

Suddenly, one of the men was knocked out and fell to the floor limply while the victor raised his hands in the air triumphantly. Kisame's cheers became louder as he laughed. Sakura's face fell and she fell back into the chair with a pout pasted on in disappointment.

"Hahaaha! Told you the Australian would win!" Kisame pointed out.

"What ever! I think he should've gotten points knocked off when he hit my guy in the back of the head!"

"Don't cry, kitten," he teased.

"I'm not," she pouted and crossed her arms. It was when Itachi chuckled and closed the door that she realized he was there.

"I see you've been busy," Kisame said as he saw the two bags in his hands.

"It's late, but I figured you two would want breakfast," he said simply as he walked to the kitchen and set the bags down. Kisame walked over to the kitchen and started pulling food cartons out of the bags while Sakura watched in confusion. Kisame didn't seem like this was anything new with Itachi going out and getting food. But for some reason, she didn't think that he would do that….Then again he was surprising her a lot lately with how much he focused on the team's health. She had to remind herself that he had been a leader in Anbu when he was younger, so it was only reason to think he always looked after everyone, and from what Sasuke had hinted when they were younger, Itachi had always taken care of him… It was just a different side of him that she hadn't expected to see.

"Sakura, are you hungry?" Itachi asked. Kisame looked over, forgetting all about her as he had already started taking out what he wanted to eat.

Sakura blinked and stood up, apologizing for her being side tracked. Itachi smirked, feeling that it had something to do with him but said nothing as he handed her a plate. Sakura smiled back and took it before following Kisame's idea and start putting food on her plate. She took a seat at the table near the window with Kisame on her left and Itachi sitting across from her. It was silent only for a moment before Sakura took a bite and nearly melted. "This is really good! Thanks Itachi!"

Itachi looked to her and smirked. "There's dangos in the other bag and some fruit that you can help yourself to."

Kisame looked to Itachi with wide-eyes. "You're going to share your dangos?"

"…There's enough of them," he said simply and started eating, leaving a slightly-but none the less- pleased Sakura and a stunned Kisame.

"I wanted to work on your eyes today, if you don't have any other plans," Sakura said slowly, not sure if she worded that right.

Itachi looked to her and blinked slowly while he seemed to examine her for a moment. Sakura could feel his piercing gaze and couldn't help but shift in her seat uncomfortably. Finally he answered, "No. That sounds fine."

Sakura inwardly cheered. She had felt bad about not working on them for the past three days and knew he was in pain. Not to mention that what Kisame had told her only made her feel appreciative towards him. Shortly after they were finished with their breakfast/lunch, Kisame took their dishes and started putting food away in the refrigerator for later meals. Sakura watched in mild interest, never picturing Kisame doing dishes. Meanwhile, Itachi watched Sakura with a knowing smirk as he leaned back in his chair. He knew Kisame's way of "washing dishes" and was waiting for Sakura's expression once _she_ found out. Feeling his eyes, she looked to Itachi and furrowed her brows. "What?"

"…Hn."

Instantly she grew irritated. Sakura rolled her eyes, knowing that he couldn't see her do it. "I thought we were past this! Just answer it like a normal person."

Before he could do anything, the sound of breaking glass broke the pause and Sakura's head whipped around to see Kisame throwing the second plate in the trash can. "Hey!!!"

Kisame stopped before he let the second slip out of his fingers. "What?"

"What the Hell are you doing?!" she said as she spun around in her chair with one hand on the back.

"Are you dense? I'm cleaning up!"

"That's not cleaning you dumbass! You're just throwing away perfectly good plates!"

"And what am I supposed to do?" he asked mockingly with a scowl setting in.

She resisted slapping her forehead. "Uhhhh …. Wash them? With soap and water! I know how you are foreign to _soap_ so at least make an effort!"

"Shit! What's so bad about throwing away the dishes?" he asked while waving the two dishes in the air. "We have a cabinet full of them!"

Itachi watched in amusement with his arms crossed over his chest, wonder how far they would take it.

"_Those_ aren't paper plates! You have to pay for them and it isn't cheap!"

"Then you do it!" Kisame yelled and shoved the plates out for her to wash.

"Fine!" Sakura got up- shoving her chair back- and pulled the plates from him while glaring darkly.

Kisame matched it, clearly pissed at expecting to actually "wash" the dishes instead of throwing them away. Sakura stomped past him to the sink while he watched her back darkly before muttering a small "Bitch" under his breath…

Sakura stopped in her tracks and sloooowwwwllly turned to face Kisame who watched her daringly. She set the plates down in the sink and cracked her fist when he just grinned. "What are you going to do kitten? Scratch me?"

Obviously he thought that because he was on her team, he was safe from any abuse. The previous "flick" from a few nights ago had been long forgotten…

"CHA!"

********************************************************************************

Out on the sidewalk, a young couple walked out of a store clearly having a bad day. "I can't believe that guy ripped us off!"

"We should call him in."

"We can't do that! They won't do anything to him!"

"Man I hate days like this!"

Suddenly, a "CHA!" was heard and a loud crash followed before the wall in front of them exploded as a body rolled out with dust and debris covering their view. The couple watched wide eyes as a young girl with pink hair walked through the gaping hole and pulled the body off the ground before shaking him roughly and cursing.

"I think our day is pretty good…." The girlfriend said quickly, earning a shaky nod from her boyfriend.

***************************************************************************

Kisame sat on the couch with an icepack to his forehead and the tv long forgotten. All he wanted to do was sleep off this hangover…

"It serves you right," Itachi said after hearing his groan.

"I didn't do shit! She didn't have to jump down my throat about it."

Itachi didn't spare him a glance from his spot at the table next to the gaping hole in the wall. A few people walked by while looking long and hard inside the apartment, but it only took one glance at the Uchiha to make them keep their distance.

The door opened and both men looked over to see Sakura walking in. "Tsunade said that she'll have some people come over and fix the hole later this evening," she explained.

"How long will it take?" Kisame asked.

"It's the same guys that fix her holes at the Hokage tower so it should be done by tomorrow," Sakura went to the kitchen and pulled a plum from a bowl and took a seat next to Itachi, too focused on Kisame's displeased frown. "It's your fault, you know."

"You're just over dramatic," he said bluntly.

Sakura smirked and took a bite from the plum, surprised at how juicy it was.

"So are they going to keep us up all night?"

"No," Sakura said with a shake of her head. "Shishou said that we have a mission that we have to leave for tonight."

"When is the meeting with her?" Itachi asked before Kisame could comment.

Sakura looked to him as if she just realized he was there. "…After I work on your eyes. I plan to catch up a lot on what I missed so it should be considerably better." She took another bite.

"Do we have time for that?"

"Yeah. She wanted me to work on them today anyway and when I asked she said that it is an Anbu mission," she explained while looking at him. He seemed to be contemplating something but didn't say anything.

"Anbu? Do I have to wear a mask too?" Kisame grinned from his seat at the couch.

Sakura shook her head. "Nope. None of us do. We kind stick out if you hadn't noticed…"

Kisame stared at her blankly, making it clear that he didn't understand. Sakura sighed. "Itachi has the Sharringan, you're blue and have a big sword, and I have long pink hair…"

"Oh. I get it now…." Sakura shook her head and took another bite while a stream of juice ran from the corner of her lip and to her chin. She raised her hand to wipe it off, but a thumb that wasn't her own had stopped the trickle. She looked to Itachi who seemed to be focused on the bead of juice as he traced it back to the corner of her lips and pulled his hand away. His eyes weren't the normal black but instead the bright crimson and he seemed to be lost in thought. After a moment he looked back to her emerald eyes and deactivated his bloodline before standing up with a smirk. "I'll be in my room when you're ready."

Sakura watched him leave the table completely confused and she could feel the heat slowly fade from her cheeks from the blush she didn't know she had. Looking over to Kisame, he was too busy picking at a stain on his shirt to have notice. Sakura took this time to leave, knowing that she had a lot of healing to get done before they went to the meeting for the mission information.

***************************************************************************

"Lady Tsunade!!! This is important!"

The urgent pounding on the door woke the dozing Hokage from her nap. She looked to the door while rubbing sleep from her eyes, wondering what these people wanted. She had just fell asleep shortly after Sakura had left and knew she would be the only one coming into her office, but whoever was trying to break down her door at the moment was not Sakura.

"Lady Tsunade!!!"

"What is it?" she asked, agitated that the knocking was insistent.

The doors burst open and in stumbled Izumo and Kotetsu with a man who looked dead on his feet. Tsunade stood from her desk-knocking her chair down- and rushed to their side. "What happened?!" All traces of sleep were gone.

"When we were on guard at the gates, this man came running out of the forest," Izumo said, with a hand keeping the said man steady on his feet. Burns scraped half of his face and down his throat with blisters and blood oozing from his dried skin that wreaked a foul stench. Dirt and soot covered him where the only thing that stood out was the whites of his eyes and fresh scarlet blood weeping out of a gaping wound in his chest.

"T-the village…" he gasped exhaustedly.

"Get him a chair," the blonde ordered and Kotetsu obeyed immediately. The man fell back into the chair and Tsunade started to heal the wound that continued to breed the dark blood. Izumo ran to the hall and brought back a cup of water to the gasping man with Tsunade letting him get a drink but started focusing on healing him as best as she could. His heart rate was racing in distress and she was starting to sweat, knowing that this man wasn't going to make it. Blood continued to seep across her floor and her clothes, but she didn't take notice.

"What do you need us to do?" Kotetsu asked, wanting to help.

A long look in her eyes and a shake of her head said it all. Turning back to the man, she calmly asked, "Can you tell us what happened?"

She could almost hear the pounding of his heart in a beat-beat-beat. There was hardly a distinguished paused between the beating.

"M-my village…just a few miles from the border…of Sound, was at-attacked. A small shinobi camp tore through it…No one else survived…" Tsunade frowned at the news and could feel his heart slowing down as he started to leave her. She tried to push more chakra to close up his wound, but he had already lost so much blood.

The beat continued to slow to a beat...beat...beat.

"Do you know where they were from or what they were doing?"

"They w-were Mist-nin and Sound-nin…" He took a long shaky breath. "They are setting up camps…to attack Konoha. Th-they said that…they were spreading out…"

The heart continued to slow…Beat-beat…beat-beat…beat…

"And how accurate is this?" She wanted to make sure that the enemies weren't sending a false message to trick the village.

"I over heard…….them….talking to each other… Before I….got away…"

….beat-beat……

Silence.

"Send in Shikamaru and Zetsu."

***************************************************************************

It had been nearly two hours that Sakura had been working on his eyes and she was proud to say that she was making more progress then she had thought. His chakra channels were clearing away smoothly, letting the stress from his bloodline melt away. She really couldn't wait till a few more days when he would be able to see in perfect sight…. Of course after his sight returned she would have to keep up the sessions to keep his sight from going bad again-or ruin all the work she put into it.

With this in mind, she tried to wrap it up, knowing that they had to leave in a short while. Of course she also wanted to finish because she was more uncomfortable then normal with him, not because of anything in particular. Hell, she couldn't place it. Perhaps it was due to him cleaning her chin from the plum? ….Whether or not it was because of that, she knew that had a part in it. Why had he done it? And why didn't she pull away? Maybe because it caught her off guard? A single eye cracked open from her musings and she looked to see his eyes shut. He look so peaceful, but she knew that he didn't always feel like that. There had to be some level of guilt he had for killing his clan, right?

He was just so hard to figure out! Itachi was a master illusionist. He would hide his thoughts and emotions behind ice that was cold. If you were to reach out, you would retract your hand at the sharp frigid temperatures but you would never be able to see past the surface through the ice. He saved her life twice, kept her secret from her friends, (according to Ino when she went to talk to Tsunade) had taken her home after drinking, and even went out to get breakfast….How did that mix with the cold, stoic man who massacred his family, left his brother alive to suffer, betrayed Konoha, and killed countless people? The answer was simple: it didn't. One side was true and the other was a mask…But which? Was it possible for him to mix?

Maybe he was cold and stoic because he was a killer. He was trained since 4 to be the perfect weapon and tool. Would parents like that be loving and understanding too? Probably not. Killing people was just their job and ninja, but killing his family was what through the whole thing out of balance. If it didn't add up then there were pieces from the equation missing…

"Why are you so quiet?" His voice shook her from the many thoughts and she opened her eyes to meet onyx.

"What do you mean?"

"Normally you take this time to ask about Sasuke and my clan. I was curious why you hadn't asked," the question was simple.

Sakura furrowed her brows. "You won't tell me anyway."

"But when has that stopped you?"

Sakura was starting to get agitated. It wasn't his tone of voice, but the fact that he seemed to know so much about her but she knew nothing except what he showed…

"I'm not going to waste my breath if you're just going to give me "Hn" as an answer," she replied with a small offence tossed in.

Itachi only smirked but didn't reply. Sakura watched him for a passing moment before she asked. "Would you tell me about your clan?"

Itachi looked to her and stared, but Sakura stared back, refusing to look away. Minutes seemed to tick by before Itachi's smirk widened just a touch. "Hn…" he waited and wasn't disappointed by her sudden glare, but he continued. "What do you want to know about the clan?"

"Why did you kill them?" she asked bluntly.

"I can't answer that."

Sakura crossed her arms over her chest. "Why not?"

"….You don't need to know."

"Then what will you tell me?"

"Anything else."

Sakura let her arms fall and she stared at Itachi, trying to figure it out. _He does feel guilty about it…_she mused sadly. He wouldn't have avoided it if he didn't…

"I want to know the history of them," she said, hoping to find out what was so bad about the Uchiha's that the scrolls left out.

Itachi sat up now that they were finished with the healing. "Before the Shinobi villages, the Uchiha's were a clan of hired mercenaries that traveled everywhere. There was one other clan that was a rival known as the Senju clan." Sakura nodded, knowing that part of it. "The leader of the Senju clan offered a peace treaty with the Uchiha's because he was tired of the fighting between clans, so when they came together they formed Konoha."

"But I thought that the Uchiha's were always friends with the Senju."

"No. It was quite the opposite."

Sakura seemed to ponder over that for a moment. Why would that information be taken out of the scrolls that she had read? If it wasn't important then why lie about it so others didn't know the truth?

"Madara Uchiha was powerful at the time and had taken control over the clan, however he didn't have enough control to make the decisions. When Hashirama offered the treaty, Madara had refused, though was ignored when the clan agreed. Madara's pride was hurt and his anger only grew and things got worse when the Senju took over as Hokage."

"But they had a right to be Hokage." Itachi gave her a curious look and she tried to explain. "I mean, it was Hashirama that brought the treaty to them, wanting peace."

Itachi smirked; glad to see that she was a kunoichi of logic. "Madara didn't see it as such. He was convinced that they were only trying to keep the Uchiha's subdued and when he voiced this, the entire clan turned their backs on him. It was clear to the Senju clan that Madara's ideals were going to effect the trust the Uchiha's had in them sooner or later so they gave my clan full control over Konoha Military Police."

Sakura pondered it over, remember what she had read and just how different it was then whaat Itachi was telling her now. "What else happened?" she asked.

Itachi knew that if he went too much further then it would only lead to things she didn't need to know. If she found out too much then her own life would be in danger….

"Another time." He brushed off and stood off of his bed gracefully. "We still need to pack."

******************************************************************************

"There is a village just a few miles from the Sound border," Tsunade explained with a hard expression. She had changed her clothes from the man but hadn't cleaned the floor yet seeing as Zetsu and Shikamaru had arrived sooner then expected. Then again she had told them that it was an urgent mission. "From a victim of the attack, it is said that the village is now destroyed and used as a military camp."

"When did this happen?" Shikamaru asked; all laziness replaced by determination.

"The exact time is unknown but believed to be around 500 hours this morning. As for the scum who attack a civilian village, their loyalties are with Mist and Sound…" She paused and looked hard at both men in front of her. "Is it clear what needs to be done?"

"**Yes**." They said in unison before Shikamaru clarified. "Sneak in and get information with what they are planning then report back here."

"_And don't engage it needed." _Zetsu added.

Tsunade nodded. "If you are forced to come into contact with them, then I give you full permission to do what ever is necessary to get out."

"**When do we leave?**"

"Now."

*******************************************************************************

It was shortly after that Shikamaru left the office with Zetsu that they ran into Sakura half way out of the Hokage tower.

"Shikamaru," Sakura greeted as she jogged to him.

He gave his normal half grin and stuffed his hands into his pockets. "What are you doing?" he asked while looking warily to Itachi and Kisame who were walking towards him.

"We have a mission and we have to leave tonight," she smiled.

Shikamaru glanced at her black shirt and pants with her red sash around her waist. Her trusty kunai pouch was fastened tightly to her thigh and her katana to her back that her ebony cloak kept hidden with the exception of the hilt. With a quick glance to the other two he saw that they were wearing the same cloak as a way to hide their appearance and their hoods pooling down their backs.

Shikamaru looked to Sakura and her smile faded at the serious expression. "Listen to me Sakura," he said in a low tone so only their group could hear. "I want you to be careful. There was an attack off at the borders and that means there will be more so keep an eye out."

"Attack?" Sakura stayed quiet for a moment. "Where are you going?"

"We've been sent to check it out but should be back soon….I want you to be careful," he said with his brotherly mode coming out.

"I'll be fine." She said as he started walking down the stairs. "You better come back without a scratch!"

He didn't say anything but waved a hand over his shoulder to show that he heard. Itachi walked with Sakura and Kisame back to the office and opened it to see Tsunade standing by her desk and looking through some papers. She looked up to the three and set the folder down. "Good, you're early."

Kisame closed the doors behind them and stepped behind Sakura and Itachi with Samehada over his shoulder.

"You're mission is highly secret. There is a man in Grass Country and he is currently a middle man between us and a few other villages. If there is movement, he will let us know. You're mission is to pick up a scroll with valuable information and afterwards, give him this…" She pulled out a 2 ft long cylinder with a shoulder strap. "There are two scrolls inside that he will deliver. Tell him to take it to Ame and Suna as soon as he can."

"Are those scrolls letters to explain what happened with the village near Sound?" Sakura asked.

"So Shikamaru told you?"

"We just ran into him before we got here," Kisame explained.

"To answer your question; yes it is and now you can understand the severity of this task." She handed the cylinder carrier to Itachi who pulled it over his neck and should to rest against the back of his katana under the cloak. "If any of the scrolls fall into enemy hands you know what to do."

"Burn the information," Itachi answered.

"That's right. You are dismissed…"

Kisame led the way out of the office with Itachi following. Sakura looked back to Tsunade who was clearly stressed. It had to be hard knowing that one of the biggest Shinobi Wars were breaking out and she was in charge of protecting a village of people who depended on her. "Hey Shishou," Sakura said quietly, gathering the blonde's attention. She smiled and pointed to the top of a large shelf. "There's a bottle of Sake behind that vase."

Amber eyes lit up and she looked to where her student pointed and grinned. "Thanks Saku-"

But the room was now empty of anyone except for her.

**********************************************************************************

"Did she take it Kabuto?" Orochimaru questioned the medic who walked into his training room.

Sasuke leaned against the wall while watching Karin and Suigetsu spar in the center; not paying a glance to Kabuto.

"Not exactly," Kabuto grinned and pushed his glasses up higher on the bridge of his nose. "She was quite resistant."

Orochimaru grinned, showing a sharp fang. "Did you underestimate her?"

"I hadn't expected her to be so determined, is all. To be honest, I was convinced she would've broken down in tears."

Sasuke listened intently while still keeping his eyes on the two sparring. He wasn't sure who they were talking about but he couldn't help let peak his interest in her. If Orochimaru was interested and Kabuto so persistent, then surely this person was important or skillful.

"So you failed, then. You should've had it under control," Orochimaru turned back to see Suigetsu hit Karin, making her stumble back. He hadn't expected her to leave herself open, but she would learn…

"Actually," Kabuto said with his grin widening. "She took it, but she doesn't even know yet…"

"How so?" Sasuke asked levelly. "And what is it that she took?"

Orochimaru chuckled. "It is a tracking device-or liquid-that seeps into your skin like a poison. It takes a skilled medic to remove it and we will know where ever she is."

"All we have to wait for her to do, is reach into her kunai pouch to come into contact with it and it will take effect." Kabuto explained.

Sasuke thought about it for a moment before he asked his next question. "And who is she?"

"Kukuuuku…You'll have to find out, Sasuke-kun…"

**Yay!!! All done!! So how was it? You like? You hate? **

**We are getting into it deeper now!! Who thinks they know what will happen? **

**The beginning wasn't what I was planning-because I didn't have a plan-so it may be a little awkward and I apologize. But I had a small case of writer's block soooo….**

**I won't be able to updat till next week sometime because of finals and my other story...but I won't forget!!**

**Please Review!!! **

**Or I won't update!!!**


	12. White Balloons

**Now this is just a revised and re-edited version of chapter 12 for those who have read it. I hope to have the updates finished by next week and we'll be back on track. I added another 1,500 words to this chapter. **

**Disclaimer.... Am I the only one who thinks this is stupid? How would you make money off of this? I haven't seen a Paypal button here yet! **

It had been only two days since their mission and they were nearing the borders of Grass and Fire. With not a team in sight, they had a fairly easy going trip. It still didn't sit well that Shikamaru was going out after the soldier camp, but she couldn't do anything about. Shikamaru and Zetsu were the prime team for the job. It was just that she had a bad feeling. She couldn't place a finger on it, but there was something that she didn't like about the news-more then normal. Perhaps it was just her nerves; with this being her first mission with Itachi and Kisame it was a good reason and very well could be the cause of her being nervous. Still she knew she needed to keep her guard up. If anything, she had two men on her side that were a force to be reckoned with- just to put it lightly. But otherwise, the trip was relaxing. Kisame kept her smiling with jokes and stories of Hidan and Deidara while Itachi put in a well placed comment whenever needed. In short they were getting along great and she could feel the stress from the mission ease substantially.

It seemed like a simple enough mission and the man they were meeting looked to be around Itachi's age- according to the picture. He had messy brunette hair and dark blue robe-like shirt and a silver sash carrying a prized sword. Hopefully he wasn't as unfriendly as she knew Itachi could be like. That would only make the mission more difficult; for her at least. When they had left the village, they had, or rather Sakura, decided that Itachi was the best carrier for the scrolls. And every shinobi knew that the person who was charged to carry the scrolls was the one who stayed protected by their fellow team members… He didn't complain with her choice but by the way his eyes narrowed ever so noticeably and the corner of his lips twitched, she was sure he was displeased at hearing the result of him being the one who "needed protecting"… Of course that wasn't Sakura's intention at all, but seeing his irritation towards her accusation, it only made her more uncomfortable. What she was trying to say was that he was the most agile and had the Sharringan, making the scrolls safest with him. Kisame had stayed silent and watched in amusement as Sakura dug herself a deeper hole while trying to explain that they weren't just giving Itachi the job because he was blind. Itachi hadn't said word the entire time nor did he get the chance with Sakura stumbling over her own words. _Surely she didn't think he was weak because his sight was still bad?_ Growing tired of her insistent apologies and explanations, he walked past her and into the forest, with the others trying to keep up.

Since then they hadn't spoken of it and it was just another part of the past. Now it was Sakura and Kisame following Itachi through the forest that creaked and swished rhythmically with the wind. There were dark clouds over them and under the canopy of trees it was darker then usual as wind raked through the forest and the smell of the un-fallen rain filled their senses calmingly. The group of three didn't pay any attention to the weather and knew that Grass was close to Rain. It was just another cold front moving through the valley and on towards Ame.

"So then the plate smashes against the wall and Kakuzu is pissed because that means we're wasting more money! Hidan, Deidara and me take off running out of the kitchen and hide throughout the base," Kisame barked in laughter and Sakura smiled, just imagining the scene play in her head. "Next thing we know, Leader-sama comes storming out of his office while dragging an unconscious Hidan by the collar of his cloak and yells at all three of us to stop acting like a bunch of kids just out of the academy! Deidara and I are hiding behind Leader and he starts going off at Kakuzu about it being just a plate and not to kill any more members! Hahaa! It was classic!"

"So what happened to Hidan? I mean how did he end up unconscious?" Sakura asked.

"Oh him?" Kisame settled down. "He said he ran to Leader-sama's office and hid under the desk… Leader didn't find that funny at all," he said the last part in a serious whisper.

Sakura laughed to herself and shook her head. "There is never a dull moment is there?"

"Hahaaha! Never!"

Itachi listened from the front and smiled to himself. There were many stories to tell-more so then he liked to admit. He just hoped it wouldn't come to the point where Deidara had decided to "get back" at him by painting his walls pink and yellow….. That wasn't a pleasant experience for either of them….. Safe to say Leader wasn't pleased to hear that Deidara was in with Zetsu and Konan being stabilized and nearly meeting with death a little early…. Now that he thought about it, Sasori wasn't happy either… _Hmm._ Itachi just shrugged the thought away and continued through the forest.

It wasn't until halfway through one of Sakura's stories that the wind stilled for a few minutes before picking up once again. It was clear that the storm was starting to break and they would need shelter soon. The Village was only a few miles from inside the Grass border so it wouldn't be too long before they arrived. Looking over his shoulder, Sakura and Kisame were still talking away and hadn't paid any attention so far, but he wasn't foolish enough to think that they didn't have their guards up. Kisame was one that could be "falling over" drunk and still be a force that many would be certified stupid to go against. The girl, he wasn't so sure of. She very well could play the innocent, defenseless act off and still be ready for any attack, but he wouldn't want to chance it. In other words, Itachi would have to keep an eye out for her… just in case.

It was shortly after that the thunder clasped overhead and the first sprinkles of rain splotched over them. His steps didn't falter as he continued onward and was tempted at putting his hood over, but thought that he might as well wait. No use putting it on when it was only a sprinkle…..

Not even a moment later did something catch Itachi's attention. It sent the spark to ignite the fire in his instincts. Someone was there… in the shadows and the falling rain… more then one. More then four. More then could be counted as a simple team… How is it that he hadn't noticed them sooner? It was true that they were a few hundred yards off but they weren't your normal shinobi. The numbers closing in as fast as they were was enough proof for that. Itachi's pace slowed and Kisame and Sakura stopped in mid conversation; whether it was because he slowed down or they felt it too, he wasn't sure; just as long as they were on guard.

It all happened so fast after that. A sudden strike of lightning split the clouds, illuminating the branches above them were shrouded with ninja. Kisame, stopped short, next to Itachi with Sakura on the Uchiha's other side. None of the three made a move except the narrow of eyes as the men around them sneered manically.

"Look-y here, boys. It's a couple of lost leaf-nins," one teased.

"Watch your mouth prick," grinned Kisame as he pulled Samehada over his shoulder.

"Ooooh, yes," he said dragging it out mockingly. "Your sword is sooo scary, mista. You over compensating for something?"

"Hey," said another man above them who jumped to a lower branch. Sakura spun her head to look at him with her fingers twitching at her side. "Looks like this little bird got lost."

Sakura snarled while her fist took on an ethereal glow, but didn't move otherwise.

The man chuckled and waved his hands in front of him as if in defense. "Whoa-there. Haha. She's got some claws."

"Enough, Julo. We aren't here for your fun," said the first man who let his eyes wonder to Sakura anyway. He turned back to the other two and his grin returned. "I plan to make your deaths quick… Can you at least try not to give us problems?" It was a rhetorical question as he signaled for the men to attack. They did as told with no problems obeying and weapons rained down upon them in all directions. Sakura pulled her katana out and deflected all that came into her direct while Kisame merely set his mighty sword before him.

She wasn't sure what Itachi had done to deflect his own, but she hadn't seen him move more then two feet from the corner of her eye. Before she knew it there were people jumping from the branches and charging after the three. Kisame laughed and swung Samehada over his shoulder. "Take care of yourself kitten." And with that he took off towards four charging men with his fierce sword at his side.

Itachi was shortly after taking on seven at once, leaving Sakura the last four. One was the man who continued to taunt her as the "little bird" through the exchange of attacks. It really was starting to grade on her nerves and not long after she tossed a kunai from her sleeve that cut his cheek deeply, letting blood freely flow down his neck and collar bone. Another man took the time while she was weaponless and attacked, but she wasn't as helpless as he believed. Instead of dodging from an attack, she punched the ground just as he was nearly to her and resulted in him falling through the crater. She leaned down and grabbed her kantana that she had dropped while blocking an attack from the forth man, and pushing him back, making him stumble to the ground. Finding the pause in attacks, she turned to the man who was desperately trying to get out of the crater and raised her blade above her head and swung low, but before her shining blade bit into the helpless man, an attack of strange water hit her, sending her flying into the bark of a tree. A gasp left her lips as the wind was knocked from her and she tried to pull away but whatever the strange liquid was, it kept her like glue to the bark.

"I got the little bird," said one man as he walked past his fellow team mate in the crater. The other two nodded and sneered before attacking the Uchiha who wasn't having problems keeping off the other seven.

Meanwhile Itachi kept them at bay relatively easy while his Sharringan lit ablaze and his highest concentration. Three were now on the ground bleeding to death or already dead- neither that he cared about checking at the moment. Behind him Kisame was once again playing with his opponents and Sakura was off to his side… doing what? He couldn't see her but her chakra was starting to charge more and more. Was she fighting? Was this a jutsu? Or was she struggling? Not liking the odds that it may be the latter, he quickly tossed his hands into a fire jutsu and took a deep breath before sending fire balls at all opponents around him.

Before he could make another move Kisame was sent flying in front of him before hitting a tree. The rain was pouring down harder now, which wouldn't end well for the Mist-nin's opponents soon, but it still seemed that he was having some sort of trouble. "Hey!" Kisame signaled to Itachi who dodged a sound attack at his head. "I can't see that bastard! He disappeared!"

Itachi gave him a dry glare and punched another man in his gut and pulled a kunai before slowly drawing it across his throat- letting his body fall with a thud. Using the small pause between another man attacking Itachi, he looked into the direction Kisame was flying from; his scarlet eyes searched over every blurry shadow and tree before a small chakra inkling caught the deadly eyes. Itachi narrowed his eyes at the camouflaged jutsu and tossed a kunai into the direction, catching the shinobi's shirt, directing Kisame to the opponent's position. A sick blood thirsty grin spread across Kisame's lips and he stalked over to his last opponent with his trusty sword ready for the blood and chakra of the now panicked ninja.

Itachi left Kisame to his biddings and continued on while kicking another attacking ninja into a tree that crashed upon him.

Sakura struggled to pull her arm free and was only able to keep one of her enemies away by a few single handed jutsus, but she only knew a few from Kakashi and she had sadly just used her last one. The man was bleeding from his side and his sick grin only made Sakura squirm more from the strange liquid that bound her to the tree. "You're a little bitch! I hope you know that," he said in a wild mixture of anger and enjoyment. Angrily he tossed a kunai, biting into her own cheek and letting the blood run down, mixing with the rain. Sakura winced and turned her head by instinct as she felt her chakra start to heal the wound. Looking back she held back a gasp when she saw the man in front of her face. He pulled another kunai and held it to her throat. "Well, this isn't what I had expected to be doing when I woke up this morning. And yet here we are."

"Bet you wish you would have stayed in bed," she snarled back. Suddenly she twisted her wrist and stabbed the man in his forearm, making him yell out in pain. His grip on her tightened and a dark light flashed over his eyes. "You little bitch! Don't know when to stop- do ya?" He thrust the knife towards her throat when a sudden water bullet hit him, sending him flying off to the dark shadows of the forest. The man from the crater took this opportunity to try and kill Sakura but a cloaked man with dark black hair blocked his path and gripped the unsuspecting man by the throat before snapping it.

"Itachi," Sakura said in shock as he turned to help her out by cutting down the center of the liquid. Sakura settled to her feet and dusted herself off, not sure what to say exactly except for the obvious, "That's three times you saved me."

Itachi merely bent down and picked up her kantana before handing it to her and smirking. "Thanks," she said embarrassingly and saw a large shuriken flying behind Itachi. Without thinking twice, she wrapped her arm around his shoulder with her kantana that blocked the shuriken from stabbing into Itachi's back. She sighed in relief, still with her arm wrapped around his shoulders and her other hand on his chest. "I'd count that as two," Itachi said deeply with amusement. Sakura blinked and looked to meet his eyes before realizing just how close those inches between each other were. Emerald eyes widened and she jumped back from Itachi and a deep blush stained her cheeks. "S-sorry about that… I didn't mean to… I mean-I... Umm…"

"It's not something you should worry about," he said simply and turned around. He paused for a moment, "I won't be."

Again she blinked and looked at him questioningly but he was already joining Kisame with the last of the enemy ninja. Just what was that all about? And what was wrong with her? If she didn't know any better then she would say she was going soft on Uchiha Itachi. But that wasn't right. Why would she, Haruno Sakura, start liking Itachi? Sure he saved her life but that didn't mean much, right? Sakura stared at the direction where Itachi flipped and twisted with the grace of a panther before she realized she was openly ogling him in the middle of a battle and she rushed to join. Taking her place between Kisame and Itachi, she punched one man before they were left with three others that surrounded them. For nearly two minutes, they stared and all that was heard was the pounding of the rain against the leaves and thunder rasped above. The water fell in large bullets and Sakura's hair stuck in a wet mess around her shoulders and forehead. "Do you plan to just sit here and stare? I know we're bloody good looking, but hell, come on!" Kisame grinned at the three. Suddenly the three ninja looked to each other and jumped into the branches, taking the shadows as cover.

Itachi, though kept track of their chakra as they all split up. Suspiciously, Sakura and Kisame stepped closer instinctively and folded into a circle as they watched for movement. The corpses of the many were littered across the ground through mud and rain with blood pooling around their bodies. Cautiously, Sakura made a mental note where they were so she didn't accidentally step on one. Nothing was worse then stepping on a corpse or detached limb… at least for her.

It was then that the ninja started their attack and one landed on a nearby branch. "A little gift from your brother, Uchiha," he sneered before taking a kunai with an explosive note and tossing it across the forest. Kisame and Sakura watched it pass over head until it met another note in the tree above. Before another move could be made, the explosive note set off with an echoing bang that added to another and another in a circle all around the three in the center. Suddenly the forest was ablaze in a dangerous ring of fire and illuminated the shadows that shifted and danced around them. Sakura held her kantana out at ready in case an attack came their way while Kisame and Itachi searched for an opening to kill the last three. It was then that Itachi caught the traces of the three shinobi and focused as they jumped throughout the outside of the fire as protection all while Kisame and Sakura waited for them to attack. Itachi was growing tired of this game and reached for a kunai, but realized that he had used them on the many dead corpses that littered the ground at his feet. The shuriken he still had would do the job but wouldn't kill them unless he was able to get it in a vital spot-that which he needed his vision for with the fire blocking them. The senbons would work, but he would rather have a kunai that he knew would kill them in one stroke if he got it right. "Sakura," he said in the same stoic tone. Emerald eyes turned to see scarlet staring back over his shoulder. "Do you still have kunais?"

"Yeah, plenty," she said shortly. Before she could do anything else, a man dived above her while tossing senbons at her. Repetitively, she raised her blade and deflected them as Itachi reached a hand to her pouch and pulled a kunai before sending it at the ninja's chest where it lodged into his lung and he fell with a thud.

Sakura looked to see an explosive note at her feet and she stabbed it with the tip of her kantana before it went off while a satisfied smirk crossed her face and a blush still there. Itachi caught the chakra of the other two left and reached into her bag once again. This time, his fingertips grazed lightly over something warm- opposite then the cold blades. It was a smooth and refreshingly temperate compared to the cold rain, but he didn't waste time inspecting it as he pulled two kunais out in a flash. No sooner did his hand leave the bag did a warm fire spread through his fingertips as pain started to burn hotter. He kept from wincing as a sudden fever spiked and he took a needed step forward as the urge to vomit hit him like a tidal wave, crashing over every Kami given clear sense he had left to him. The roar of the fire and thunder deafened him and his eyes burned with new twinge, blinding him back to his original state. His ribs ached and he could feel his knees weaken drastically, but he stayed strong while searching for the same chakra. He tossed one in the direction, making a grunt sound out from the target and a body fall to a lower branch. The last ninja was now in a panic and started to make a break for it, but Itachi tossed the kunai, albeit crookedly and stabbed him in the ankle, making him stumble out of the tree and to the muddy forest floor. "Nice shot!" Kisame commented and went to the last survivor, not noticing Itachi's weakened form. It wasn't like he knew. Itachi could stand unbearable pain and not blink. Sakura was right with Kisame as they took swallowing strides until both halted and stood over the griping man who held his ankle in pain. With a contemplating stare and a roll of his tongue over his fang like teeth he glared blood thirstily. "I want you to send a message," Kisame said darkly to the man. "That's why you're still alive."

"Forget it! You'll just kill me anyway," he spat.

"You're damn right, but that will all be another day," he grinned.

"Go back and tell your leader that he better think twice before attacking Konoha again. It will be your downfall," Sakura added.

The man looked between the two before standing to his feet shakily and limping off into the woods and back to whatever camp he came from. "Nicely handled, kitten," Kisame praised as he gripped her shoulder tightly.

Sakura grinned back. "You like that? It just came to me!"

"It was effective. Maybe a little over the top, effective."

Sakura grinned and turned back to Itachi where she was greeted with a sight that froze her to the spot and her grin dissipated. No traces that it ever existed were present as she saw Itachi face down in the mud and unconscious; his body matching the corpses that littered the forest floor around him. Sudden dread and terror struck her like lightning and she felt her heart drop to her stomach. "Itachi!" she yelled over the thunder and down pour of the rain. Sakura rushed to him, slipping in the mud with her sloppy sandals until she landed hard on her knees by his side and flipped him over, letting the hard rainfall wash the mud from his face. She quickly checked his vitals and found his chakra mixing with some foreign liquid and his heart beating erratically against his chest; the beat undistinguished.

"Oi! What the hell happened?!" Kisame asked as he stood above her in his own level of panic.

"I-I don't know…" she said shortly as her eyes darted from side to side, checking him for any wounds.

"What do you mean you don't know?!"

"I don't know! It's plain and simple!" she snapped and turned to Itachi's unconscious form. His brows were drawn together and sweat pulsed through his pores. She raised a hand to his forehead and felt his fever that spiked. "There's something wrong. I think he was poisoned," she said urgently and started going into her medic mode.

"What do I need to do? Do they have a hospital in the village?"

Sakura shook her head. "It's a really small village. I can take care of him, but we'll need shelter."

"We can get him to the village in fifteen or twenty minutes… But that's the best we'll get in these conditions."

Sakura pondered for a moment and checked his vitals again before leaning back and nodding. "That would be the best for him… We need to get him there as soon as possible and I'll get whatever this is out…."

Kisame didn't say anything and leaned down before picking Itachi's limp body over his shoulder. He turned towards the village direction when Sakura's voice stopped him. "If we don't get him there in less then fifteen…maybe even ten minutes then I may not be able to take it out…"

Kisame blinked at the news, knowing that there was a slim chance Itachi would get there on time….

**********************************************************************

The rain had ravaged her, her clothes hung limp on her slender frame. Sakura rushed after Kisame as they thundered through the forest, every muscle pounding to pick up more speed but both were at their limit. Try as she might, she couldn't convince her legs to stretch any further or move faster as they ran across the forest floor and jumping to some branches. They had just crossed the border… They were almost there.

She wasn't keeping track of time; there was no way she could. All that was left for her to do was watch Kisame sprint in front of her with Itachi's limp form slung over his shoulder. His onyx hair hung like dead seaweed down his gaunt face. She was starting to become panicked. What had happened to him? There weren't any wounds on him… Actually out of all three of them, she only had the wound on her cheek… Was this a different type of poison?

It was then that the color of crimson against pale skin drew her out of her panicked musings and emerald eyes widened once again. "Kisame! Stop!"

Kisame halted and looked to Sakura who landed behind him and rushed to his shoulder. With careful hands, she lifted Itachi's head just as he coughed blood that pooled from his lips. Fear struck her and she sent healing chakra to him, trying to help ease whatever pain she could. His chakra spiked against hers in resistance and she could only remove her hands from him, knowing that it wouldn't do anything except cause more problems. "W-we… we should keep going," she said in a stronger voice. Kisame looked to her before nodding and taking off in a sprint to the village. Sakura watched for a moment… just letting the rain fall as Kisame and Itachi disappeared through the dark trees. She was afraid. She had been able to help Kankuro and others with deadly poisons but this was different. It attacked his immune system as any other poison would, but there was something different… It made her uneasy and unsure; forcing her to slowly turn back to the twelve year old girl. She felt weak… Itachi depended on her and she wasn't sure if she could help.

**Don't think like that! We'll be able to help him! There's only one other person who could help him and that's Shishou! **

The thunder clap over head and shook her from her thoughts. She blinked and looked back to Kisame only to find her self alone. Forcing chakra to her feet, she charged with new energy after the others. Inner was right! She could do this… She just had to try. She wouldn't fail anymore… She wouldn't fail Itachi…

She felt a single drop of water run down her neck and make its way to her chest under her clothes. She let out one single tear. It existed for a brief moment as it hung on her lashes, but it was soon swept away by the rain.

**************************************************************************************

It was shortly after that the pair barged into a run down motel and ambushed the clerk. The poor young man was completely caught off guard by the two soaked ninja with a man over their shoulder. They charged in, nearly knocking the door from its hinges and demanded a room… NOW.

With fumbling fingers, he handed the pink haired woman the keys and told her room 13B. Quickly she pulled the keys from him and ran up the stairs to search for the room. Kisame stayed quiet and followed until they came to the room and she struggled to get the key into the lock. Again and again she missed and couldn't get it in with her shaking hands. She was cold and anxious to start helping Itachi, knowing that if she didn't get started soon then it may be too late. A bead of rain water dripped from her hair and down her shirt before she finally had enough and hit the door, busting the hinges as they rushed in. Kisame went straight to the bed and set Itachi down as Sakura closed the door and rushed to the bed side while pulling her cloak off and leaving it on the floor where it fell. She pulled her hair into a tight bun and pulled Itachi's cloak off as well. "What do you need, kitten?" Kisame asked from the foot of the bed.

"I'll need two bowls. One with water and the other empty. There should be some in the kitchen," she ordered; going into medic mode.

Kisame disappeared into the bathroom and returned with one bowl of water and an empty trash can. "Only one bowl," he said shortly as he set it down next to Sakura on the table. He looked over to see she had Itachi's shirt off with the scrolls and kantana on the floor.

"Thanks."

Kisame watched as her green hands traveled skillfully over Itachi's bare chest with her entire focus on him. Sakura didn't pay attention to Kisame's watchful eyes as she examined Itachi. His heart was still fluttering rapidly but she was starting to slow it down, keeping the foreign liquid from pumping and expanding throughout his body. Other then it sending his immune system haywire the liquid hadn't attacked his vitals or destroyed anything… yet. That wasn't like a poison. Any poison would attack the heart or liver… Even lungs or brain cells; destroy tissue. This only gave him a deadly high fever and stress; making him cough blood. If she wasn't careful then it could send his heart into a stroke or heart attack. Either way, she needed to get this poison out. Sighing, she looked to Itachi's face to see his eye lids clenched slightly and sweat rolling down his cheek. She knew he was in pain but she was impressed that he hid it so well even when in an unconscious state. Emerald eyes looked up to Kisame who watched Itachi with a blank expression. "Kisame. I'll need you to hold him down."

"Hold him?" he asked skeptically. His hesitation earned him a mutinous glare and he trudged over to the other side of the bed before holding his shoulders down lightly.

"Now you can't let him move around too much or it will make more damage," she instructed.

"Yeah-yeah," he said as she pushed a ball of water into Itachi's chest. Suddenly, the man jolted up and twisted, jerking from Kisame's hold.

"I said hold him!" Sakura yelled as she tried to force him down. Kisame panicked for a split second before he pulled Itachi back to the bed. Carefully she retracted her hand with the water and a strange blue liquid filling the water. She held her hand over the trash can and let the water spill before proceeding to repeat the process. As she let the water melt into his chest again, he didn't bolt as violently, surprising Sakura, but not as much as what she found in him. Just where she had pulled the strange blue liquid from his lungs, there it was with more this time…. Sakura scowled deeply and the troubled look didn't go unnoticed by Kisame. "What is it?"

"This liquid… It's reproducing in such a fast rate that I'm having trouble keeping up with it," she said quickly. Again she pulled all the liquid out and dumped it into the trash before setting another ball of water to his chest to find that she wasn't putting dent into it. "Shit! I can't get it!"

"Then what are we going to do?" Kisame asked as his own anger started to show. "Just let him die?"

"No-I can get it…," she snapped back before going quiet and thinking over what Tsunade had taught her. Finally her anger depleted and turned to determination. "I'll just need to use something a lot stronger…"

Kisame watched as she pulled her kunai pouch into her lap and opened it up to find her scroll. Finding it, she pulled it out and set it on the bed when a small cling roped in her attention to the ground at her feet. Confusion pulled at her as she leaned down to the ground and pulled the small glass vial to the light to see it empty. This vial wasn't hers. She had never seen it before… "Have you seen this?" she asked Kisame and tossed it to him. Kisame caught it and examined it over his large palm before shaking his head.

"Nope. Never have," he grunted.

Sakura stared at it in the mist-nin's hands with furrowed brows before she realized. "That must've been how Itachi got the poison… He used my kunais so that explains how he came into contact with it."

"What? But who put it in their? And why?"

"We'll think about it after I'm finished with Itachi," she said in a clipped tone and opened her seal- cautious for any other vials or tricks. Puling out some ink from her pouch she pulled the seal over her lap and started to paint in onto Itachi's torso and down his abs; over his shoulders, following down to his wrists. Once the seal was transferred, she opened the scroll a little more to show a blue seal with strange lettering before she set her hands into their position. Quickly she went through the mantra of hand signals, focusing all her healing chakra to the surface. The blue seal from the parchment glowed and split in two; one side joining to the many black markings on Itachi with the other half merging onto Sakura's arms and neck. Finally she looked to Kisame with the last hand signal in place. "Hold him down and no matter what… don't let up… Not even when he starts to scream."

Kisame's eyes widened at the thought but before he could utter a word, her hands were thrust with palms meeting Itachi's chest…

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Dawn finally cracked through the dark morning sky and washed over the village refreshingly. The village was waking and slowly coming to life as two hooded figures walked down the street towards the small tea shop a few blocks away. It had been a long night for both of them, but the taller of the two had gotten his fair share of rest shortly after his comrade's surgery. Sakura's technique had worked like a charm and had taken every once of liquid from Itachi's body with no problems. Though the seal only absorbed the liquid all at once, it wasn't nearly as painful as the end result. Once the seal contained it all, she had to force all of the mysterious blue liquid to be strung from his body at once… It was a quick process, but no one knew better then Sakura and Tsunade how painful it was to the body. It felt like someone cutting you open and pulling your very heart out. The expected scream had came- much to Sakura's dismay, but it only lasted for a second before all went silent; the unnatural silence replaced it almost immediately.

Even now, the scream shook her thoughts and she hated to admit that she was weak enough to allow it to affect her. After all the times she had used this technique when learning from Tsunade as well as the few rare times from the actual mission, it had never bothered her when the patient had screamed. But with Itachi, it was different. His scream had made her blood run cold and the bitter temperature set to frost her muscles. It was all like a ghostly nightmare that she was trapped in… Nonetheless, she had got her few hours of rest before waking and checking on the Uchiha to find him sleeping soundly with not a trace of a fever left. This made all worry wash away and leaving room for curiosity to take over. Wonder came to her as she stared at the trash can full of diluted blue liquid that she couldn't help but take into her own vial to examine it once she returned to Konoha. Hopefully it would give her an idea on who gave it to her and what it was for. Surely now she knew it wasn't poison… not normal anyway.

"Is this the place?" Kisame grunted in a good and natural mood.

Sakura looked up to the sign and nodded. "Yeah it is." Kisame stepped forward to see that it was quite busy with people getting their morning tea and breakfast. Sakura pulled on his cloak harshly, pulling him back with a glare. "What?"

"I don't want you to mess this up," she demanded with an accusing finger in his chest. "Don't go scaring the guy unless he's a dick- got it?"

"Yeah whatever." He shrugged and walked past her into the shop with an irritated Sakura in tow. They stepped in and looked around until their eyes landed on a young man matching the picture in the back corner booth. Sakura led the way to him and stopped shortly at the edge of the table just as the man looked up from sipping his tea and smiled warmly.

"Hello," he greeted calmly and motioned for the seats in front of him. "Please sit."

Sakura returned the smile and sat down with Kisame sitting next to her. "I assume you are Shintaro?"

"And you are Haruno Sakura, Hoshigaki Kisame… and I'm afraid you are missing your comrade…"

"He's busy at the moment," Kisame said shortly. "Let's cut the small talk and get this over with."

Sakura glared at the Mist-nin's rudeness but stopped when Shintaro chuckled lightly. "Haven't had your morning Sake?"

Kisame stared at him with a confused expression plastered on but Shintaro merely waved it off. "Luckily for you I came prepared." Next thing Sakura knew, Shintaro pulled out a bottle of Sake from his sash and handed it over to the shark like man whose stern look broke into a grin.

"Keh, I like ya!" He eagerly popped the top and took a healthy swig.

"I don't plan to make this long," Shintaro continued as he pulled a scroll out of his sleeve with an Iwa seal on it. He laid it on the table top casually as Sakura pulled it to her kunai pouch quickly, not wanting anyone to see it. She wasn't sure what this man was playing at but wasn't there a reason that they were trying to not let anyone know they were making a switch? The man seemed to know what she was thinking and chuckled again.

"It's best to hide things in plain site, honey. If we were to act suspicious then we would be treated as such by being watched," he explained.

"I'll keep that in mind. But wouldn't someone care?"

"Not in this village. That's why we're here and not in Tea where I normally make the switches. If it's important then I travel to this little village where no one gives a damn."

"Makes sense," Kisame commented with a tilt of his bottle.

"Well I am glad you agree," he smiled.

"We have something for you as well," Sakura said quietly and pulled the cylinder from her cloak before setting it over the table. Seeing Shintaro's amber eyes narrow suspiciously, she explained. "It came up at the last second but I wouldn't have brought it if it wasn't urgent."

"Alright," he nodded. "Continue."

"In short there was a Leaf village attacked near the border and burned with no survivors. A shinobi camp has moved through and it looks like Sound and Mist has made their first move… These two scrolls are explaining the where abouts and details of attacks that are supposed to be sent to Ame and Suna."

"I see…" He pondered it for a moment before nodding and sitting up in his chair. "I can have them delivered by this evening."

Sakura and Kisame blinked. "What?" they both said in unison.

"You don't think I do all of this on my own do you?" he chuckled and took the cylinder. "No. I have a friend that is excellent at delivering and….. borrowing without permission."

"Works for me," Kisame shrugged.

"And you do know what needs to happen if the scrolls fall into enemy hands?" Sakura clarified.

The man gave her an all knowing smirk. "I've been doing this for a long time…" He lifted his messy brunette hair and showed her his Snow forehead protector with the gash through the symbol. "If I wasn't good at what I do then I would've been killed long ago…"

"Sorry," she said embarrassingly. "I just wanted to make sure that there wasn't a chance it could go to the wrong person."

"Don't apologize. You need to make sure you can trust those around you… especially now. But let me tell you a secret." He leaned forward and smiled before whispering, "My favorite drink is jasmine white tea…"

Sakura furrowed her brows as he leaned back. "I don't get it…"

"Incase you ever forget," he smiled and stood up with the cylinder in hand. "I'll be seeing you around…" and with that, he walked out the front doors, leaving Sakura and Kisame alone before they too stood up and left.

"That last part was a little odd," she mused. Kisame just shrugged dispassionately and drank the rest of the Sake as they traveled back to the motel room.

Sakura eagerly sped up as they neared a small stand that just opened. "Excuse me," she greeted warmly to an older woman holding a sleeping two year old. She had short blonde hair with darker brown eyes and a tanned heart shaped face that smiled warmly. "I was wondering if you were selling anything yet."

"Yes," she said with her own smile. "I just have to put him down and I can help you."

Sakura nodded and looked over all the fruit and she eagerly began to pick a few plums and peaches out. "Is there something you want?" she asked Kisame.

"Nope. Not one for fruit. I had my Sake and I'm good till lunch."

Sakura turned back with the bag in hand just as the woman returned with a tray of dango's from the building. "Dangos?"

"Oh, yes. I just pulled them out… I'm guessing you would like some?"

"Yes please!"

"How many-"

"I'll take a full tray."

"…Oh… alright then," she laughed. "You must really like them."

"They're in my top five favorites, but a friend of mine really likes them," Sakura explained excitedly.

"And where is your friend now? Sleeping still?" she asked as she pulled the dangos into a carry out box.

"He isn't feeling well. He just got over a terrible fever," Sakura said.

"Oh that's too bad. Well in that case it's on me," she smiled and handed Sakura the box and fruit.

"No-I couldn't-"

"Non-sense," she waved. "I hope your friend feels better."

"Thank you very much," Sakura said with a polite bow as she and Kisame made the rest of the trek back to the motel.

Finally reaching it, they went straight up stairs and opened the door quietly as to not wake Itachi. Walking in with the door shutting behind them, Sakura and Kisame paused then froze as each face turned blank while they looked around the empty room… Empty bed…

"Where is…"

"Good question."

Before they had time to panic, Itachi walked out of the bathroom with his t-shirt on and pants as well as his faithful kunai pouch strapped to his thigh. Blank onyx eyes found them immediately with his expression passive. "Why didn't you wake me?"

"Because you were out like a light," Kisame grinned and made sure the door closed all the way behind him.

"You should've woken me instead of leaving me here," he said in a stern tone.

Sakura rolled her eyes at his Kakashi-like nobility. "Stop acting stubborn. It's done-we got the scroll- and we brought breakfast." She held up the bag as proof and walked to the table where Kisame had fallen asleep on the night before.

"That doesn't make it alright, Haruno. Acting on your impulses is going to get you hurt. I'm sure Kakashi would have taught you that."

"Are you going to complain just because you slept in?" Sakura asked while pulling the food out and setting it on the table. Even though she was truly, surprisingly, relieved that he was alright after the scare he gave her the night before, his honor and pride was starting to wear her patience down. "You can't expect to be the center of every mission, you know. It doesn't work like that."

Kisame nodded his head in agreement. "You're not invincible. Hell I'm not even close."

This earned him a mutinous glare but the Mist-nin was wise to keep his eyes on the sake in hand. "That's not the point. You shouldn't expect me to sleep around while you finish our missions," he explained coldly.

"You needed rest, Itachi," she said in a sharper tone. "There is nothing shameful about sitting out ONE mission after an ambush like last night."

Itachi didn't seem phased by her words while he watched her back as she continued pulling out the food. "You underestimate my abilities, kunoichi. I'm stronger then your previous teammates."

Sakura finally spun around to face him and glared dangerously at the impassive man. "You have a lot of nerve! Damn it! You were poisoned last night and I thought we were going to loose you!! I'm sure you feel fine now after all the fucking work we went through but you could at least do us the favor at not unraveling it! All you had to do was get rest and that was it! You're so stubborn and prideful at times that it drives me up a fucking wall!"

Itachi narrowed his eyes and opened his mouth to tell her that she didn't have to worry about him being poisoned; that he would've been fine but she cut him off.

"You're not expected to be the strongest anymore…" she said firmly, but he heard the sad truth under it. "You're our team mate and friend now… not a prodigy…"

Itachi blinked and watched her blurry form for a moment before she turned and pulled out a box. "Here's your dangos." With that she walked past him and out of the room while closing the door quietly behind her.

Itachi looked between the dangos and to the door then to Kisame who stared at him. "How bad was it?" he asked stoically.

"You were in bad shape… I wasn't sure if we would get you here in time to remove the poison."

There was a tense moment of silence before Kisame added. "She stayed up nearly all night with you. Even though she was exhausted after the jutsu at removing it."

Itachi said nothing and picked up the box of dangos and grabbed a plum from the table. Kisame took another swig of the sake, depleting the last of it. "Anyway, you didn't miss anything," he continued. "It was pretty quick and easy." After not getting any response he looked to Itachi only to find he was all alone in the room with a bag of remaining peaches and plums. A crooked grin curled his lips and he went to the bed before stretching out the kinks and falling asleep in a light nap.

*************************************************************************

Sakura found herself on the steps in front of the motel and watched as people walked past her with their normal activities and a few other shinobi teams traveled up the street while nodding to her. There were still dark clouds over head but nothing that would break into rain. A calming wind played with her locks as she thought back on her brief argument with Itachi. For a moment there she had thought she was standing in front of Sasuke. The way he was putting the mission first instead of his health… the way she was worried for him… Wait! She wasn't worried… Not like that anyway. It was just a concern between comrades-nothing more.

**Suuure**, inner teased and rolled her eyes. Sakura ignored her.

She was starting to fall again wasn't she?..... Just this time it was for a different Uchiha and completely different circumstances. Sighing she thought back to the many times that Itachi had saved her. That was one thing that Sasuke didn't do for her unless it was for the mission's benefit or Kakashi or Naruto told him to. She could still remember the Chunnin exams when Gaara had attacked her team and she had thought it was Sasuke that had saved her but in fact it was Naruto. He even admitted to it not being him…. Was she really that unimportant to him?....

That was a dumb question. But whenever Itachi saved her he actually would smirk and say his own little comment. Even after her exams he had told her to let Tsunade heal her wounds and she would bet her life that Sasuke would never have offered that. They were two different men, two different shinobi… with two different stories.

Shaking her head she sighed. She couldn't fall for Itachi. She just couldn't deal with the pain again, even if Itachi would never leave the village. It wasn't like Itachi cared about her anyway and a relationship had to be for both people, not just her…

After waiting for a moment and depressing moment with another long sigh, she made a move to get up and head back but a voice stopped her. "I hope you aren't leaving on my account."

Sakura turned back to see Itachi standing behind her with dark hooded eyes blinking slowly at her bemused expression before walking to her form slowly to take a seat next to her on the steps. Sakura could only watch him with both emerald eyes as he stared in front of him with his arms resting on his knees whilst he stared off at the people walking by. He seemed peaceful enough and when he didn't say anything, Sakura relaxed her shoulders and looked back to the citizens, taking in the clean air. It was peaceful now, which she was surprised at, though she didn't ponder on it, only relaxing back and al previous thoughts gone. If she was completely honest with herself she would admit that it was him who seemed to be the source of her strange moods. He could make her feel peaceful with silence and yet he could infuriate her with his pride. Stupid man…

After a few passing moments Itachi looked to her and held up the box of dangos and the plum in offering which after a pause she took one of each with an embarrassed smile. Quietly they sat with each other and ate comfortably, each letting the wind run through their hair and the small inkling of sun that peered upon the town from the clouds above.

Out of the corner of his eye, he watched as Sakura bit into the dango, savoring the taste while staying oblivious to his unashamed staring. Itachi broke the silence. "I suppose you're right."

Total shock washed over Sakura and she looked to Itachi, not expecting him to actually apologize. It was then that she realized just how close they were and how dark his eyes seemed to hold her to the spot. Swallowing her food she dropped her head a little. "Well I was… a bit harsh. I'm sure that was just a natural reaction when I took a blow to your ego."

"It was," he admitted with a smirk.

Sakura smiled and took another bite of her plum-making sure not to allow any juices to spill over her chin- though inner was eagerly waiting for a repeat.

"I appreciate you helping me though," he said to break the silence. "I hadn't realized it was that severe…."

Sakura stared at him for a moment. "You hadn't had…um… a team care like that have you?"

Black eyes looked to her with an unreadable expression before looking back at the street. It was then that Sakura knew… "Your family didn't care either," she stated more then asked.

Not liking the topic at hand he still felt like he needed to give her some explanation. "My clan expected the mission to be finished perfectly with no flaws. It's been like that since I was four."

"That must have been hard," she admitted softly; surprised to hear Itachi opening up to her even if it was two sentences. As far as she cared it was two more then what she normally got.

Itachi wasn't sure why he cared to tell her this, but it just felt right. Perhaps it was because he knew she would understand… or maybe because he felt like he owed it to her? No it wasn't that.

"Compassion wasn't in my training. Just to fight and kill. When they finished training me to kill with precision, they taught me to stay alive. If you were wounded, you kept going until you died."

"How could they do that? Not even the academy was that tough."

"It was just the Uchiha way."

"What about Sasuke? Did he have to train like that?"

"…" A long pause. "No."

Sakura frowned at the short answer but figured there was more to that then what he gave off. He was starting to open up… that's more then she expected. She wouldn't push him though. In time he would tell her.

Itachi though had his own questions and though he was patient in the battle field the same couldn't be said when something truly held his interest such as this kunoichi beside him. "I find it apprehensive that you would go through that trouble to help me. Why not let me die? Then Sasuke wouldn't have to kill me and he would return to you."

She gave him a mild glare. "I'm not that cold and I hate it that I even have to tell you that. Sasuke is on his own as far as I'm concerned. We tried to let him in, but he just kept us out. The Sasuke we know is lost. Besides, I like having you around a lot more then Sasuke," she admitted softly. Itachi smirked and a light air seemed to spread through him, though he brushed it off as nothing.

"Well that's good to hear," he said with his smirk turning smug. Sakura couldn't help but laugh lightly as he ate another dango. A man started walking up the steps and muttered a quiet "Excuse me" while Itachi leaned out of the way against Sakura to allow him to pass. A hot blush stained her cheeks and she turned her head down letting her hair curtain around her, hoping that Itachi wouldn't see. She could feel his chest against her shoulder and his soft hair tickled her arm accompanied by the musky scent mixed with pine. She shamefully wanted to lean against his chest and bury her head under his chin-the new and foreign feeling instantly scaring her. She wasn't the only one taking in the innocent closeness. Her own sweet scent lured him and he took a deep breath, inhaling her flowery aura until the man finally passed. Slowly Itachi leaned back and sat quietly while taking a bite of another dango as the cool breeze raked by them but Sakura was too focused on the heat generated by the man sitting next to her where their shoulders now touched.

Both sat comfortably with each other on the steps.

Sakura near the railing.

Itachi next to her.

And _more_ then enough room for people to walk up and down the stairs…

**Awwww!! I love these little moments!! They're the best!! Anyway for those who have read this, it is the basic same but I just went back and added a lot more chapters. The closer we get to the chapters before the more the chapters that you had once read will change, k? So if you don't want to read all of it again then you will probably miss a lot. **

**Thanks to everyone who has reviewed so far!!**


	13. Black Cat Crossed a Path

**Akane: Is this a happy chapter?**

…**..Suuuure… let's go with that…**

**Rai: You've been **_**warned**_**…**

**Disclaimer: No characters belong to me no matter how many times I stay up till 11:11pm and wish it. Please enjoy the random appearance of what I do own, being Akane and Rai! Two of Okami's Angels! Haha get it? Like Charlie's Angels, but there's only two right now and…yeah. Sorry!**

_It was one of those times. One of those times when her mind was locked on auto pilot; when she seemed to be living in a separate dimension. It was when she heard the news. The news that would ruin her life. The news that sent her dizzy when she first heard it…. When she didn't want to believe…_

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Sakura walked happily up the stairs, resisting the urge to hum and skip like she desperately wanted to. Kisame rolled his eyes in annoyance once the humming started again, though she was able to stomp down on the urge of skipping and kept it at a walk. Ever since they had left Grass, she had been happy-go-lucky. It greatly irritated the Mist-nin, but his complaints fell on deaf ears. What was she so happy about? The mission wasn't something that he would call a great one. He only got to kill a few shinobi and after that, the rest was slow going. Itachi walked quietly beside him, watching as Sakura led the way to the Hokage's office. He wasn't acting quite like himself either… But still he was acting like he always did, so how did that make sense? The difference of the Uchiha was that he actually laughed the morning before… He actually _laughed!_

At a _joke_…. What was this world coming to? Maybe that explained why Kisame was a little agitated over Sakura's cheerfulness. It wasn't like she was doing anything however her joke about "the village calling and they want their idiot back" –referring to the younger of the Uchiha brothers--had Itachi laugh, even though it was small and borderline chuckle. When he later approached Sakura about it in privacy and asked if he was hallucinating, she merely shrugged and replied with an "I thought it was just a chuckle."

That wasn't right. He could've sworn it was a laugh. And yet he couldn't get him to laugh at his jokes. The kitten did, but all the Mist-nin would get from the Uchiha was a damn chuckle. Sighing he scratched his head as they came to the landing and continued through the hall.

Itachi blinked as they walked by the windows where sunlight bathed in and poured across the floor. It was late afternoon and the sun bright that burned his eyes. It was an improvement; an annoying improvement but still an improvement. That only meant that his sight was returning no matter how slow it may seem. He was by no means complaining. The burning pain was less frequent and the normal blurry lines were straightening into actual forms. If he wasn't a stoic, feared and skilled shinobi, or even a lesser man, then he would be found right next to Sakura, humming the same tune-but let's face it. There was no way on Kami's green earth that was going to happen for he was not a lesser man. His good mood was pointed in one particular thing; it was the news that she had explained to him. According to the blossom-haired medic, his sight would be 20/20 by the end of the next session. He would be able to see everything; see Kisame roll his eyes, see Hidan and the obnoxious Ino…though that one could wait a while. See how much Deidara changed since they first met and he forced him to join… The possibilities were endless. But he couldn't help but wonder what this new team mate of his really looked like under the hazy blurred form.

Shortly after, Sakura arrived at the Office of her Shishou and she happily knocked her knuckles against the door. At first there seemed to be no one there. But then again it would always seem like that. The doors were high quality wood that hid any chakra signature from one side of it. Again she knocked as Itachi and Kisame stopped behind her. Finally there was shuffling from the other side before the door cracked open to reveal a girl with brunette hair and dark eyes that held nothing short of sorrow. "Tenten? What's wrong?" Sakura's happiness dropping low into endless waters that darkened to worry.

"It's not good," she whispered and slowly opened the door to allow the three into the room before closing it.

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"She's in Konoha now," Kabuto mused from his spot in front of a monitor that lit the room up with blue shades. With his hand on his chin he calmly watched as the detector followed into what he assumed was the Hokage's office. He wasn't sure how she was able to overcome the effects so soon, but perhaps she was able to keep the effects to a minimum. No surprise there. The way she healed herself at the bridge would only make it obvious. None the less he was intrigued.

"Kabuto," addressed a cold voice from behind him. The said medic looked to the source to see Sasuke leaning against the door frame; a scowl firmly in place and arms crossed over his bare sleek chest, no doubt just finished with training.

"Oh, what brings me the pleasure of seeing you," Kabuto asked mockingly. It was no secret that they loathed each other on a high level. The day they truly got along outside of forced politeness would be the day Hell froze over and sprouted daisies.

Uchiha Sasuke scoffed and rolled his eyes in agitation. "Orochimaru wants you."

"You came all this way to tell me that," he asked with a withered look. There was more to it obviously. The youngest Uchiha didn't do anything unless there was a treat for him. Even if it was as small as sending messages. He was high enough on Orochimaru's favorite list to get away with refusing a small errand.

And he was right as Sasuke pushed off of the wall and sauntered in to look at the monitor. Blue lights illuminated his face from the screen as he recognized the outline of Konoha with a single blue glow-no doubt a person. "Who is that?"

Not interested in telling the Uchiha, he merely shrugged. "You tell me, all knowing prodigy."

A mutinous glare struck but he only smirked. The white haired medic had seen a lot of things that didn't level up with Sasuke's signature glare. With his smirk stretching to a full blown grin, Kabuto walked past him and to the medic table to re-sharpen his scalpels and surgical blades. It was clear now what Sasuke wanted. _Who could forget the man's need to know everything going on and be the center of attention_, he though bitterly. He was no doubt wanting to know who this person was… The fact that _they_ happened to be a _she_ sparked his interest even more. For some reason-and it was in his right to do as he pleased-he had no intentions of telling Uchiha Sasuke that this little minx that had captured his as well as Orochimaru's attention happened to be his ex-team mate, Haruno Sakura.

After getting no reaction except for the blank shoulder, Sasuke began to grow impatient. "I don't expect you to brush me off."

"You shouldn't expect anything. See that's your problem," Kabuto explained as he turned to observe the Uchiha while pointing his scalpels in a matter-of-fact way. "You are always thinking and expecting things to happen. So much that after a while you begin to imagine things. Not a good habit to start," he said with a shake of his head and turned back to his prized tools.

Again the shoulder! This wasn't setting well with Sasuke at all, but he knew that he couldn't touch Kabuto and vise versa. They were both highly regarded by Orochimaru, meaning both were safe, much to their luck_ and_ dismay. "Tell me who she is."

"What's in it for you?"

"The knowledge of knowing."

"A scholar now, are we?"

"Are you going to tell me or do I have to ask Orochimaru?"

"By all means, you can ask anyone you want… But I am the one that will give you the answer. Sadly for you at the moment I just don't feel like saying any names."

After sending a burning glare through Kabuto and willing him to catch on fire he growled angrily. "Fine. Do I know her?"

This time Kabuto faced him completely and leaned against the table. "Yes."

"How old is she?"

"Why so interested? Isn't Karin enough for you?"

His crimson eyes narrowed to slits. "Watch your mouth."

"If you have a problem with the way I address you then feel free to leave _my_ medic room," came his back fire, just as smooth as the surface of his glasses.

Sasuke brushed off Kabuto's attempt at insulting him with his suggestions on Karin. He wasn't about to correct him to say there was nothing between him. Just another annoying fan girl. "How well do I know her?"

Kabuto pondered for a moment. At first glance he would've answered that he knew nothing of the kunoichi's skill and improvements, but that would lead him away from the guess of Sakura. After all, Sasuke thought he knew everything about how she was still weak and wasted her time crying over him. What a shock he would get when Kabuto brought back his little kunoichi to the base. And he wouldn't allow Sasuke near her…. Where was the point in getting an apprentice if Sasuke would only cause damage? Simple enough. It wouldn't be a good strategy move.

"You've known her at the academy," came his short reply. "Other then that I'm not entirely sure how _much _you know of her."

There were hidden meanings in his words, but Sasuke tucked them away for later decoding. Before another question could arise, Kabuto walked to the door of his room and held it open. "Sorry to cut this interesting conversation short, but I have a meeting with Orochimaru-san."

Sasuke tossed a dry glare at the amused medic before sending a last glance at the monitor. Crossing his arms, he sauntered out of the room and down the hall as Kabuto shut and lock the door in place before heading down the opposite end.

Silently, Sasuke vowed to find out who this woman was and why she was so important. Clearly she was strong and that was only mirrored in the fact that it gained Orochimaru's interest… and seemingly the youngest Uchiha.

*******************************************************************************

_How did this happen? How did she end up like this? Couldn't she just have her time of joy before more bad news struck?_ Sakura found herself in the Hokage office with Neji, Tenten and Ino who stood around the kneeling Sakura and the sobbing woman in her arms. In the corner, talking to Tsunade was Kakuzu and Hidan who were briefed on the incident at hand. Looking down, she held the blonde sand kunoichi around the shoulders and quietly hummed. She hadn't expected this.

"What happened?" Itachi asked stoically. It almost seemed cold to Sakura but perhaps that was because he had once again built up the walls around him when in public. She hadn't really noticed just how much warmer he seemed when it was just the three of them away from public ears.

Tsunade looked over to see Temari crying lighting into Sakura's shoulder. "We have received a radio signal yesterday morning from coordinates near the border. It came from Shikamaru and Zetsu just around 5:11am and there trace vanished shortly after."

"What do you mean? They were killed?" Kismae asked.

"It's…a possibility that we have exercised. Also it may be that they were captured, but there is no proof that they were even in the area."

"Did you send a team?" Sakura asked over Temari's quieting sobs.

"Of course we had. After not getting any response on what they were doing I sent a team to investigate but all that was found was the radio and the remains of the village. What ever happened to the shinobi camp, it leaves that they packed and left once they found out they were caught," Tsunade scowled. Sakura looked to Temari who had stopped crying but still had her head in Sakura's shoulder. No wonder why she was upset. Shikamaru and Temari had been dating for almost three years. It was definitely taking its toll on her.

There was a sudden scoff behind Sakura. "And where have you been?" Ino asked heatedly at Sakura who furrowed her brows at the blonde. Looking back at her childhood friend, Sakura took in her appearance. She wore a green sweater with her hair was in her usual ponytail but wet, obviously she had just come from a shower with her eyes a puffy red. Her cheeks were just as flushed as Temari's but no tears fell as far as Sakura could see.

"On a mission," came her calm reply though she desperately wanted to ask Ino what her problem was.

**She loved him too**, inner reminded. **Jealously was always part of it.**

"Did you know about him going?" The room was quiet as the blonde's voice rose shockingly. "Did you know he was going out there and you just left?!"

Itachi narrowed his eyes at her, but she was smart enough to focus entirely on Sakura. "Ino, I know you cared about him-"

"And here you are holding Temari like she is the one who's worse off! I knew him before she ever came to Konoha!" she raged and stomped her foot to the ground.

Temari jerked her head from Sakura and threw a glare that could kill Ino with daggers who challengingly matched it. "Shut the fuck up! It isn't always about you!"

Ino rolled her eyes and tacked her hands onto her hips. "Oh, right! It's always about the Sand Princess! Just because you're a Jounin and Ambassador for your brother doesn't mean shit!"

"Ino!" Sakura started but it fell on deaf ears.

"What's the matter with you," Tenten also barked in.

"Keep Gaara out of this!" Temari growled.

Ino took a step forward challengingly so she towered over Sakura and Temari, trying to use her height to intimidate the kneeling two. "Why? Is he going to sit in a dark corner and cut himself?" she mocked in a child like tone while using her pointer finger to run from the tip of her eye and down her cheek in an imitation of a tear.

Something inside of the sand kunoichi snapped and all she saw was a flash of red as she lunged at the blonde. It happened so fast, nearly everyone jumped out of the way before their senses returned and they hurled back to the middle of the scuffle. Hidan pulled Ino from the ravenous sand kunoichi while Ino punched and kicked at air, occasionally hitting Hidan in the face or chest. "Fuck bitch-hold still!" But she was deaf to any voice except her own screaming at her to hurt the rival female. She wanted to see Temari bleed and cry from her hits not because of the man who had seemingly fallen off the face of the living earth. With a final kick, she heeled Hidan in the balls, making him release her enough to charge back at Temari who was being held back by Neji and Tenten.

"ENOUGH!!" Tsunade yelled as she pushed from her desk and rushed to the fight.

The screams to stop by the other Konoha ninja were washed over by the crude raunchy comments that were tossed angrily across the room. As a free and tearful Ino reached Temari, she rained down on punches to the defenseless kunoichi before Neji released her to defend herself. Tenten followed suit and the fight continued as they tried to pull both apart so there weren't any more cheap shots being thrown. "Ino! Stop it!" Sakura yelled desperately. Blood was splattered across the floor as Hidan was back to his feet, pulling Ino from Temari who had a hold of the blonde's ponytail in one hand while throwing deadly punches to the back of her head. "Ino get a grip! You don't mean any of this!" the pink-haired medic continued. Finally Sakura and Itachi pushed past the group and the pink-haired kunoichi squeezed between the two rival females, helping Hidan split them up as Itachi pulled Temari away in a firm grip. With one last desperate punch, Ino felt her knuckles connect hard into a jaw before all went silent. Opening tear filled blue eyes, Ino stared at the woman on the ground. Sakura sat up with blood flowing from a large gash in her bottom lip and glared at Ino. With her Anbu cloak, she wiped the blood away before standing to her feet and stalking up to Ino who stared on at wide eyes-still in Hidan's grip. "I'm sorry-Sakura-"

_-Slap-_

Her head was spun to the side and Sakura calmly walked towards the doors, ready to leave this office and not looking back at her friend. The room was quiet and Temari's anger seemed to disappear. Without thinking twice, Itachi released the sand-nin and stepped in front of Sakura, effectively blocking her in the office on her way to storm out. She nearly walked into him before she stopped short a few small inches. Her forehead came to his chin as she stared into dark onyx eyes. "Move, Itachi," she said quietly. His fresh, one of a kind scent of pine wrapped around her and she tried to keep her mind focused on the door just beyond the Uchiha. Instead of moving, he once again surprised her with his thumb that wiped the blood from her lip. This made her jump slightly but didn't move otherwise as a blush filled her cheeks. That was when his lips twitched upwards momentarily before tossing his chin in the direction of her friends. Emerald eyes looked over to see Tenten talking to Temari and Tsnuade taking her seat at the desk. Ino watched everyone while leaning against the wall; stealing a few apologetic glances to Sakura.

It was clear that he was telling her non-verbally that her friends needed her. Not to mention that he wasn't ready to have an over emotional kunoichi in the apartment. Sighing to herself, she looked to Itachi and mouth 'thank you' before walking back to Temari. She knew Ino was going through conflict but so was Temari. For Ino to snap like that wasn't like her. She was vocal and crude at times but she knew when to stay quiet. Perhaps it was Hidan's doing-not intentional of course. Still it was something she would have to look into later.

Sakura sat on the other side of Temari with Ino shortly after pulling a seat next to Sakura. The pink-haired kunoichi didn't say anything but didn't move away either. Calmly she allowed Ino to sit and stay quiet. While Itachi purposely moved to the wall behind them incase another fight arose. If such a fight did start then he wouldn't hesitate to take Sakura out; only because he didn't want her to be out of work for a mission—nothing else, he told himself… though he wasn't sure just how true that statement was.

"I have the tape here for those who want to listen," Tsunade said, going back to the main problem. She knew there was going to be a fight… it was only a matter of time with when.

No body moved from her warning and waited patiently. "Are you sure," Sakura asked the other two blondes. Ino nodded while Temari muttered a "yes." Tenten gave each a sympathetic glance but looked back to Tsunade who pulled out a small radio that looked like it had been through hell and back. The sight itself was heart wrenching to imagine what it held. A knob was missing and three wires hung exposed from the corner that was missing from a fracture. Mud dirt and blood crusted in layers over the black exterior surface. Tsunade took another breath and pressed a button on the side that shattered the silence in static. Heavy breathing was heard before it started to skip like a CD. **Panting** then _static-_**panting**-_static_-a few words-_static,_ before finally evening out to settle in a fluent panting before the shifting of what sounded to be leaves stopped from the background and silence fell. Finally the voice froze the atmosphere in the office, suffocating everyone who held their breath for the moment.

"_Nara, Shikamaru and Zetsu at given location. It is five am and there has been an ambush against us. I repeat we have been found_." More scuttling and leaves before a pause. The voice dropped to a lower whisper. "_Between one-hundred-seventy to one-hundred-ninety enemy ninjas have burned the village. They have split up 1800 hours yesterday and will be spreading camps along the_-----_**static**_---------- _I repeat, Konohagakure and Sunagakure are being blocked off by other shinobi camps and cornered_…"

"_**Nara**_," entered the voice belonging to none other then his partner. "_**To your left.**__"_

This time metal against metal was heard through the speaker with hostile voices in the back ground yelling desperately to kill the two enemies. Shikamaru's shadow jutsu was sent into play before an explosion shook the speakers, sending a high pitch to whistle through the office and landed with a thud of what seemed to be when the radio was displaced from Shikamaru. Silence was all that followed and Sakura furrowed her brows. This wasn't good at all. This war was starting to roll over them faster then she had imagined and it could only get worse. Feeling tears in her eyes, she shook them away, pleased that Naruto wasn't here. She would have to tell him when they were alone… She new what kind of problems that would rise, but it would settle over time. Looking over she saw Temari with her hands covering her ears and her eyes clenched tightly. Confused she allowed her gaze to wonder to Ino who had now pulled her knees to her chest and Tenten biting her lip… Was she missing something? There was no proof that Shikamaru was dead. He could just be hiding without radio contact or supplies. Surely they haven't given up hope yet have they?

Suddenly a blood curtailing scream of pain and anguish devastated the silence and emerald eyes jerk expectantly to the tape before Tsunade pushed the button again to stop it, but it didn't shut off like it had many times before. Shikamaru's scream continued. Again she pressed the button and again and again while the pain from the voice grew louder serving the room into horrific images until an unnatural silences poisoned them from the screams that was roughly cut off. Angrily, the hokage tossed the wretched radio into the wall where is shattered. It had clicked its last.

Sakura looked to her friends then to Itachi and Kisame, she didn't want to be here anymore and she couldn't keep her tears in much longer, but she knew she had to be strong for her friends… It was one of those times that she was presented with the curiosity of what to say to her companions who were in pain.

What could she say? What would make them feel better? Would she be able to make them feel better? Perhaps this was why Itachi wanted her to stay. Perhaps it was because he knew she would be in a dilema and she would have to think outside of the box. Haha… It was funny how you would need to put so much effort and thought into something that should be natural.

But she decided to give it a try. She knew that everyone loved to be loved and comforted no matter who they were. The past two weeks with Uchiha Itachi and Hoshigaki Kisame taught her that much. Many people give the appearance that they didn't care about the pain in their life in order to impress others or keep an appearance. Sasuke and Kakashi helped her with that one since she was a genin. But some people, however, weren't afraid to admit to their pain and frustration… Now that Sakura got to the basics of this, it came to the matter of what to say to these people in their time of need. It wasn't normal dread and sorrow that she was dealing with. Oh no, it was worst. A demon that devoured their hope hungrily and left behind the hollow empty depression. It was the demon of war that struck through the hearts of everyone from both sides of the war… Her odds against it was slim.

Still she wanted her friends to cheer up… well not cheer up, but at least not give in to the enemies. She understood, from her years of training with Tsunade that there was a time to sulk and a time to tell the world "fuck you"… It was time for the latter. It was time to spit in the enemies faces and tell them that they weren't afraid. Shikamaru wouldn't want this. He didn't die because of an accident. He clearly said that he knew the risks and was willing to take them proudly to help Konoha. So what did she say? Should she say that she cares? It was obvious that she would care-despite Ino's previous insults. She wouldn't be here if she didn't care. Should she say it's okay? Why would anyone say that to someone? What's okay when they are grieving for a loss? How is it okay? Should she try pointing out the upside of the situation? They knew the positive side of what had happened-if there was any. Where is the comfort in pointing this out? She was trying to be understanding in a way that could show them something brighter, But alas, it wasn't doing them any good.

With Temari leaning on her shoulder once again and Ino finally putting a hand to Sakura's shoulder, she smiled softly and allowed them to cry their tears, while she fought hers down with all her own strength. There was nothing wrong with just hugging the upset person and letting them cry out their sorrows. Perhaps that was what they needed… they needed a listener. Someone to hear them yell and scream and cry….

Was this what Itachi was searching for?

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"You called for me?" Kabuto asked as he entered the room. Orochimaru looked up from his curtain of hair and smirked slyly.

"Ah… I saw that your tracker has been activated." A long purple tongue darted out of his lips before sliding back into place. "When do you plan to take her in?"

"Are you anxious?"

"You know me, Kabuto," he replied with a twisted smirk forming.

"I do and that was why I couldn't help but ask."

"She will help keep our shinobi numbers up and healthy against Konoha and Suna. Of course I'm anxious."

"Well I don't plan to bring her until I know when it is safe. With their guards up, it will be very difficult," he explained while pushing his glasses higher on the bridge of his nose.

"Fair enough-but that was not the reason I called you here," he continued with a careless wave of his hand. "I want you to do a border patrol around Fire Country and Wind."

"To check for holes in the defense?"

"More or less. I need you to map out every camp that is hidden so we can have a view of where everyone is stationed."

"I understand," he nodded. He turned to walk away before Orochimaru stopped him. "I would also like you to take Sasuke with you and Karin."

"Sasuke and Karin?" His grin fell lifelessly.

Orochimaru was all too aware that they didn't get along, but brushed it off as them needing to establish dominance. "Yes. It will keep them focused if they have a break from training."

Damn his mood was killed. So much for his poison working…. "Alright… I understand," he dismissed himself.

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It wasn't until after nine pm that Kisame, Itachi and Sakura arrived back to their now repaired flat. They had left the office after giving their report, leaving out the strange poison substance for Itachi's sake. Sakura only figured that she could talk to Tsunade in privacy when everything started to settle down before they started to figure out the puzzle of the poison. It was a risky and reckless move on her part incase the attacker tried it again, but for some reason her need to protect Itachi's ego was much stronger. He seemed to be grateful for it to after he tossed a crooked curl-your-toes smirk. Sighing at the memory that already made heat rise to her head, she carefully followed Kismae into the shadowed apartment.

Looking around suspiciously Kisame stumbled through the dark and to the fridge to find his stash of sake safe as he left it. Pulling a bottle he walked to the couch plopped lazily next to Sakura who was lost in thought. Their dinner was quiet and even though Kisame didn't know Shikamaru, he knew what war was like and any thing like this was…. Safe to say, depressing to some extent. As he gulped a healthy lug of sake, he couldn't help but be impressed at Hidan's calm and control that he had. It was clear that he didn't give a damn about Nara, but he kept his mouth quiet. The blue man would have never guessed that the Jashin sadist would have self control. Perhaps that loud blonde bomb shell was a good influence on him; though by her stunt earlier, he couldn't say it was vise versa.

Glancing out of the corner of his eye, he wondered why Sakura hadn't done worse then a slap. Even if the slap was hard and silence shattering, it still wasn't as effective as a punch. Then again he wouldn't expect her to hit her friend. The kitten had claws but she wasn't disrespectful. Looking over at the shift in the shadows, he saw Itachi walk over to sit in a recliner with a glass of water. "Thank you for not letting me walk out," Sakura muttered embarrassingly.

Itachi merely observed her before taking a drink of his water. "You're friends needed you," he said shortly, leaving no room to drag the topic out. But Kisame continued, oblivious to Itachi's irritation.

"Besides, if they tried anything then it was going to be me that broke up the fight," Kisame joked while pointing a thumb smugly to his chest.

Sakura cracked a smile but a sudden knock on the door brought the lightening mood to a halt. Curious she walked to the door and peeked through the eye hole but it was too dark to see anything. Shrugging to herself, she opened the door to reveal a busty blonde smile softly to Sakura. "Hey, Sakura."

"Shishou?"

"I needed to give you a mission assignment away from the other teams' ears," she explained as Sakura allowed her in before locking the door behind her.

"A mission?" Kisame asked with an added withered look. "We just got back."

"Well congratulations, but you're leaving tomorrow for the next one."

She switched her gaze to Kisame, Itachi then back to the mist-nin. "Kakuzu's team is going to investigate any and all clues that were left behind at the remains of the village. I'm aware of your collegian's history in bounty hunting and with Neji's Byakugan it should make it successful. Temari had also volunteered to go and help."

"Well that's all great but what do _we _have to do?"

"Your job is simple…" she continued, ignoring Kisame's rude inquiry. "There is a man in Cloud Country. His name is Hikaro Goro. He has information on the Sound and Mist ninja that have been harassing travelers, teams and other villages. Hopefully it will lead to a connection between those trouble makers to the ones that are spreading the shinobi camps around the map," she added bitterly.

"That sounds simple enough," Sakura shrugged and took a scroll with the mission details that her shishou handed. Itachi watched Sakura and Tsunade, waiting to see what this mission was fully about.

"I wasn't finished," she said softly. "It is an assassination mission as well. When you get the information you must destroy him. He could snitch on us and move all the camps again before you three even get back here to tell us. That is something I am not willing to risk." Turning, she faced Sakura knowing that this was only going to add more stress to the worried kunoichi. "Sakura, you will be the one to take care of this task."

Sakura furrowed her brows. She hadn't been on many assassination missions. Only…. Four. That wasn't a lot at all. She couldn't bear the thought of letting Kisame and Itachi take over and do it for her. That would only mean that she would portray herself as weak… She wasn't afraid, but she was a healer not an executioner. Well she was technically both but you get the point. At least it wasn't a….

"As a seduction mission…"

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**Yes it was a short chapter, but I couldn't fit more into it without starting in the next chapter. Anyway I know this didn't have much change to it either but I went back and added a few more things. Review if you want. I'm just writing this story because the idea was too good to let sit. If you don't like it then let me know….. I dare you. And even if you don't like it, the story will still go on! Just try and stop** **me.**

**_Next chapter I advise you to re-read for those who have already read it. I plan on re-writing it._**


	14. Souls and Paper Trails

**Yo! Sorry for the wait! I started a new job and have only had two days off in the past 3 months! But I'll have a lot more time for my fics now! **

**This is a re-edited chapter for those who have already read this. **

**Disclaimer… I have officially given up on trying to attain ownership of Naruto. YOU HEAR THAT ****MASASHI KISHIMOTO****!? YOU WIN!! T_T You didn't have to send Itachi out to chase me away from your house :'( that was cruel. It broke my heart to see him glare at me T_T!! **

The cool fall wind was crisp and hard against the withering leaves that clung healthily to the many branches. The sun still lingered over the horizon, not yet ready to allow the moon it's rightful night. This was the last evening of summer and the cool air was already starting. The dark shadows and remains of daylight were still dominate over the forest leaving the sun a few more hours before it would sink over the mountains.

Tap…..tap-tap…….tap…..tap-tap….. The small sound of sandals against branches was drowned in the rushing of wind in their ears

Dark eyes looked to the right of him as Sakura continued to jump from branch to branch. Only a few days travel from Konoha and she wasn't relaxing any more since the news of the mission. Her chakra fluxed from mild to high throughout the day and it only seemed to grow more adamant as to what she was doing. The closer they got to Cloud, the more nervous she had become. At first when they had left Konoha, Kisame had made it mandatory to tease and taunt the kunoichi about the mission, but all he got was a bow of a head and a silent shoulder. After getting no desired reaction from the woman, he decided to up the antics by adding a little more vulgar then necessary for the tease. He continued to say that he would be more then happy to have her practice on him and the list continued, much to Itachi's annoyance. A hard glare later left Kisame silent as the grave-so to speak, seeing as that was exactly what he would've ended up if he continued. The Mist-nin wasn't thinking of what he was saying and he realized it after Itachi had subtly shut him up. He could have left the joking when she didn't answer him, but he took it as a challenge and continued-only stopping when she would give him a reaction… He wasn't sure what had her so quiet so he left it to the theory that she just didn't want to go through the assassination. It was clear to Itachi that Kisame thought that Sakura had done the seduction missions before but never the assassination. It now appeared that it was vise versa.

The shadows hung low and the sun had slowly disappeared beyond the horizon, sapping out the masquerade of colors. Itachi stopped on a narrow branch with the clips of his sandals against the bark. Sakura stopped and looked behind her to see Kisame land beside Itachi. "Are we gonna camp here?" Kisame grunted to Itachi who gave a single nod. Kisame leapt to the ground while Itachi stared expectantly to Sakura who shifted her weight uneasily on each foot. Finally growing even more nervous under his piercing gaze she snapped her emerald eyes to him. "What?" she asked offensively.

Itachi, in a very Itachi-like manner, merely blinked knowingly before jumping down to the forest floor with Kisame to start on the campfire. Sakura narrowed her eyes suspiciously but shrugged it off as Itachi being Itachi. Just because he looked to her with those dark pooled irises didn't mean that he knew what was bothering her. Still she couldn't keep her mind from wondering to the mission. Never had she had to do this before and she knew Tsunade was very well aware of that. Sighing, she followed down to the ground as Itachi finished setting the fire up and the shadows retract from the light. Casually-or as casually as she could at the moment, she walked over and took a seat near the fire. The flickering of the flames kept her mind off of the ever persistent subject that she desperately tried to keep from her thoughts…. But the fire only did so much before her nerves came back with vengeance. Glaring at the defenseless flames, she held back a frustrated growl and chose to think of a different way to keep her angry anxiety in check. She just wanted to hit something right now or do anything productive…. "Itachi," she said after her anger diminished immediately and she blinked once the idea came like a beacon of light to her dreary mood.

"Hn…"

"I want to work on your eyes," she said bluntly. There was no asking like the many times before. She apparently didn't care if he wanted her to or not. But it wasn't like he was going to complain. In truth he had been anxiously waiting for her to finish the work. With this next session, he would have perfect sight… something that he had only thought about once he learned it was possible for his sight to return. With a full nod he walked over and sat next to her on the ground with his Anbu cloak billowing around him. Kisame didn't pay attention to them as he searched out a fine tree to sit himself at before leaning his precious sword against the tree with him. Sakura looked away from the Mist-ninja and back to Itachi. Quickly she pondered what the best position would be to finish his eyes but she quickly came to the conclusion of letting him pay down. The kunoichi unbuttoned and pulled her cloak off to lay it over her lap; emerald eyes looked expectantly to the silent man. Reading what she wanted, he gladly complied and lay back so his head was leaning against the tops of her thighs. As onyx melted with emerald, she suddenly regretted her decision as heat started to rise to her cheeks. Thankfully it was too dark for Itachi to see the change in color… or so she told herself. The small smirk that formed across his lips made her think differently…

"So," she cleared her throat. "Have there been any pain outside of the ordinary since the last session?"

"No."

"Good," she replied and let her fingers rest against his temples while allowing chakra to melt to his muscles. Immediately he closed his eyes in relief, savoring the cool feeling of her chakra sooth away the pain. They stayed quiet for the first ten minutes… maybe it was fifteen. Sakura wasn't paying attention; all she could think about was how well Itachi would be able to see after she was finished. She was actually giddy to hear what he said about her healing abilities… just the thought of him complimenting her motivated her make the session as quick as she could without skipping any steps. Repairing the damage was a lot of work, but her experience helping Kakashi the past year really made it almost a habit, though Itachi's was far worse then the white-haired ninja. She carefully wondered why she cared what he thought. Why would he say anything to her at all? He was a killer. He killed his family, but if she didn't know it, she would never have guessed that it was him that did it… maybe his evil twin?

All she got was a snort from inner before the onslaught began. **You're dense! You obviously like him!**

No, that wasn't right. She liked him as a friend and comrade. It was Sasuke that she used to like.

**Not from where I'm standing. You blush and have flirted with him and Gah! You like him! End of story!**

That's right. It was the end of the story because Sakura wasn't going to get into the argument with her inner. She didn't like him. Plain and simple. Sighing to relive her beginning headache, she looked to Itachi lying on her lap and it all started to come into prospective. There he sat, with the most peaceful expression she had seen him wear with his dark hair framing his face in velvet waves. The shadows danced across his pale skin that stretched over his aristocratic features and deep everlasting eyes hid behind dark lashes that she grew to love so much. She could feel her own rambling thoughts and emotions settle to a slow calm as she watched him, drinking in every detail and every smooth crevice and bend to his nose and lips… Itachi seemed to have felt her calmer chakra for he opened his eyes to see Sakura staring at him intently with compassionate emerald. The soft hands that was once on his temples now stringed through his bangs that fell in soft folds around his face. Normally he would find this an amusing time to tease her and make a game out of it… but he was too wrapped in the stunning detail of the woman above him. Long amaranth pink locks draped over her shoulders to mid back in waves and her face only glowed in the fire light with sparkling eyes shining with so much depth that he could've sworn they were pools. Nothing could have prepared him to have his perfect detail back let alone to have a trance setting woman sit above him. The calm was contagious and for once…..

He couldn't find himself to get up.

But she-much to his dismay- blinked and realized what she had been doing. "I'm sorry!" she rushed out in a panicked voice. He was sure that if he wasn't on her lap at the moment then she would've jumped out of her seat with in seconds. Blinking and once again placing the facade on, he sat up-albeit slowly. Allowing his eyes to adjust to the darkness, he let his eyes wonder and drift over the scenery before falling back on Sakura once again who refused to meet his eyes while playing with a fine string from her pants. Getting a full view of her he saw that she wore a tight black top with a crimson sash that matched his sharringan completed with dark grey pants and high heeled sandals. Her curves were larger then many average women but so was her teacher. He didn't have to be completely blind to know she was definitely fit and it only showed in her tight t shirt. Feeling that she was starting to grow nervous with his blunt staring, he looked to the fire that reflected before them. "I can't thank you enough, Sakura," he said softly, bringing his eyes back to hers. "I strongly believe that you have even surpassed Lady Tsunade."

Again the blush! And Itachi caught every tinge of color that stained her cheeks. "I don't think I'm that good," she started quietly, clearly embarrassed beyond reason.

"Nonsense," he argued with a firm shake of his head. Again he took a seat next to her, knowing that it caused her to tense, but he couldn't bring himself to care at the moment. "You are amazingly skill full and I'm impressed beyond reason. When you said I would be able to see, I only assumed that it wouldn't improve much from what it was recently."

"You have little faith in me, I see," she said with a small smile. The intensity of his eyes was nothing now compared to what they were. It was amazing as her heart seemed to skip a beat every time their eyes met…. What was wrong with her?

Seeing that she had a much troubled look on her face- now that he could see clearly and couldn't bring himself to look away, he calmly addressed the problem, hoping that his suggestion wouldn't…. what's the word?..... Ah, you'll find out for yourself….

"Sakura," he said as his voice immediately grabbed her attention. The way her name flowed from his lips only sent her rambling thoughts to an abrupt halt. "Have you ever done a seduction mission before?"

Sakura allowed her eyes to wonder carefully to Kisame's form but he had long since fallen asleep. "No." she answered quietly.

Itachi was by no means surprised of this answer but he kept his stoic face as firm as stone for the next portion of the question that he couldn't bring himself to wonder the out come. To be honest, he had pondered it earlier in the day while they travelled, though it just happened to be because of the mission at risk if she didn't go through all of it. Now he had another motivation, However he would strongly deny any of it. "Would you like me to help teach you?"

Emerald eyes looked over in shock and anxiety. Did she hear right?

**Hells yeah!!! What are you waiting for? Go for it!!!! **

Sakura right eye twitched from the yelling as her headache started to return. Quietly she searched the dark eyes and his expression but no lie was present, no teasing was seen and no trace of animosity had ever existed. In the back of her mind, she knew it had to be because he didn't want her screwing up the mission- which she couldn't blame him. The villages depended on this information…. "…Um. Yes. I know I could use it," she tried to sound casually but they both knew it was too forced. _Besides…. It can't be too long…_

The same smirk that set her mind racing curled his lips and he stood to his feet while holding out a hand to Sakura. Grudgingly she took it, knowing that it wouldn't do any good to ignore it. She was desperately trying to keep her hormones in check yet with inner going on a rampage; it was a waste of energy. As she followed Itachi, she realized they were going into the shadows of the trees, away from the warm fire. She was starting to regret this.

"Relax," came his voice from up ahead. "I just didn't think you would want to do this in front of Kisame."

….What _exactly _were they going to do? Especially something that she wouldn't want Kisame around for? Wasn't this just a lecture? Oh, Kami she hoped so!

Bringing her eyes in front of her she saw that Itachi was now facing her where the small inkling of a fire was visible through the leaves. Warily, she stopped a few feet from him, not sure where this was going to go. Itachi though couldn't help but let his eyes wonder over her form again, taking in every detail the dark of night showed. She was a stunning beauty. Before his observing could turn to staring, he decided to explain to her. "When on this type of mission, confidence is the most important quality you can have. If you find yourself making any move even if you didn't mean to, don't hesitate. You have to follow it through to give the man the impression that you have control." There was a slight pause. "Are you following so far?"

"Yes," she nodded. "It's just like acting. Like you would do for any other mission."

"Right. When on this type-even for the first time- you have to give off the illusion that you have done this before…" He pondered for a moment. "In a way, much like your blonde friend."

At this Sakura cracked a grin. "So act like Ino and I'll be home free?"

"You'll be half way there."

Sakura's grin faltered. "Then what else is there exactly?"

"Your technique."

"Technique?"

"It is the way you approach the situation. You know who this man is and what he looks like while having the advantage of him not knowing anything about you. Take this advantage and use it. Now what I have in plan is for you to only charm him enough to get him away from public eye so that we can start questioning him. You're job will only be to… flirt."

"Well, I can flirt," she shrugged obviously. "That's a little too easy."

A smirk curled his lips. "But you're technique is modest and… dignified."

_Damn it! Why am I blushing again?!! _

Itachi only found it amusing and some what addicting that he had that effect on her. He wouldn't mind to see it much more often….

"Ok. I don't follow exactly," she confessed.

"Your technique is your signature on how you show affection. When on a seduction mission, you have to push that aside and be one thing only. That would be charming."

Sakura pondered for a moment before nodding her head. "I-I think I can do that," she said slowly.

"Well that's what we are going to practice on," he said with a tilt of his head.

Emerald eyes shot to his. "….what?"

"If you don't feel comfortable with it then I won't force you to," he added as he took a few steps towards her.

She stood her ground, knowing exactly what he was talking about and knowing the sad fact that she really needed to learn this… It really was unfair to the poor girl. The closer he walked, the more her Inner was having a field day and the more her thoughts rushed so fast that she couldn't identify one from another. It was then that Itachi stopped only six inches away from her that she lowered her head further, allowing her hair to curtain around her face. Itachi merely solved this little problem by lifting her chin with his finger until he stared into the deep emerald. "If you don't want to do this than there is nothing wrong with that."

Sakura didn't trust her voice as she stared into the intense eyes. She wasn't sure what it was about him that made her like this… She never acted like this with Sasuke, or even Kiba when she had briefly went out with him. Was this a bad feeling?

Knowing that he was waiting on an answer she simply shook her head and was stunned when he stepped away in understanding. "Alright." He said simply and turned to go back to camp. Sakura watched him walk away, immediately missing his touch.

Itachi couldn't help the feeling of his heart drop ever so slightly at her rejection, but he didn't let it show. He knew that she was nervous around him and it didn't escape his attention that it may just be due to his little brother. Perhaps she was afraid to do anything that could hurt her in the end? It was clear that Sasuke didn't take interest in her when they were younger; instead too focused on revenge… which turned to be his fault. He was by no means giving up, though. He would just have to work at her own pace for a little while to gain her trust and show him that he wasn't in anyway like the youngest Uchiha. This may be a little rough at first, but Itachi was one with charm… and he knew it.

**Gah! What are you doing?! He's walking away**!!! Inner raged. **Did you ever think that maybe it was a good feeling?! When are you going to give him a chance?!**

Sakura couldn't answer that. All she knew was that she didn't want him to go. Perhaps she was afraid of rejection. She didn't want to start anything with the eldest Uchiha for fear that he would start to ignore her. Looking to the back that had slowly begun to disappear through the leaves, she rushed a few steps forward. "Wait Itachi."

The man stopped and looked behind him to the stressed kunoichi while she stumbled over her words to explain why she had stopped him. He knew all to well, but he didn't jump to conclusions before she actually voiced her thoughts. He wasn't disappointed when she finally paused and heaved a sigh of defeat while looking to her feet. Once the words settled in her mind she looked back to the waiting Uchiha and explained in a defeated tone. "I'm sorry. I want you to help me…"

Again, his heart lifted to the slightest degree and he walked back to her until they were only inches away again. "Are you sure?"

"Yes," she replied in a softer but sure voice. She knew there was a difference between affection and seducing… It just so happened that she wasn't familiar with the latter. Sighing, she looked around the clearing, trying to pick out a way to get this over with. Itachi was already a head of her as he tapped her shoulder twice, grabbing her attention. With a cunning smirk, he pointed to some wide branches above them were they would have privacy in case Kisame woke up and found the campsite empty. At first Sakura wasn't sure what he was pointing at until he leapt to the trees, leaving a dumbfounded kunoichi on the ground, gazing up at the branch. What are you waiting for? Sakura grumbled something about Inner and her bossiness, before following the Uchiha to the higher branch. When she landed, she saw him leaning against the tree patiently and observed her for a moment, making sure there were no regrets or hesitation in her stance. For the most part she only seemed nervous, which was to be expected. "Now when you approach him, you need to have an air of confidence. Don't look around or hide your gaze. Think of it as a predator. Watch him and make sure your presence is felt when you stop by him, then when he addresses you, it will be time to pull the charm on him," he explained monotone. For some reason she got the feeling that he was actually hesitant on the whole ordeal but she just shrugged it off.

Of course, Itachi wasn't quite sure why he was giving her all this advise. Obviously it was for the mission and for her to have more ease at it, but if he was honest with himself, he would admit that he didn't like the idea of her going to hang on some other man's shoulders; even if it was for a mission. He would flatly deny that he was being possessive…. Even if deep down that was the case.

"Confidence, predatory, and acting…." She listed off. "What about this technique?"

Itachi paused and let silence fill between them before he continued by pushing off the tree. "Let me see what you have so far."

"…huh?"

"Show me," he said with a change of words. "How you show… affection."

The favored blush heated her lips and she looked away shyly before taking a deep breath and meeting his eyes. "On…you?" she asked while pointing at him for good measure.

He cracked a smirk and stuffed his hands in his pockets to show her that he could control himself while giving an assuring nod. Swallowing Sakura hesitated with a… WTF look but after no reassurance or confession that it was a joke-not that she heard very many of the eldest Uchiha's jokes- she shook her head while gathering all her courage to walk to him. Taking the steps were easy and she knew that she pulled it off fairly well, however it was when she arrived only inches from his chest that made her mind race and her heart gallop. Itachi watched every move-having been attempted many times to be seduced. He counted seven holes that weren't convincing- the biggest being her hesitation once she reach him. With a slow arm, she wrapped around his neck while he leaned down to her level. Taking a silent but much needed breath she leaned up and touched her lips to his in a chaste kiss but after a moment she braved the unknown territory of deepening it. Itachi responded immediately with a hand at the nape of his neck and another palm on his chest. He vaguely wondered if she felt his heart jump slightly under her palm, but tossed the idea out as soon as the sweet taste of mint became abundant. Sakura could feel a shiver dart down her chest and stomach from the soft texture of his lips and the moist of his tongue between kisses. Her mind was becoming all too blurry and she felt as if her eyes would forever stay closed in such a soft bliss. It was a soft and passionate kiss that Sakura found herself getting lost in all too easily and quickly pulled back as the last inkling of sense threatened to leave her mind for good. What was going on with her? Was she really that hooked on with Uchiha Itachi? There was no way.

Itachi- missing her touch leaned tall and looked down on her. "That was very convincing," he stated.

She wondered if there was a compliment in there or not. She wasn't sure how to take that statement or if she should perhaps suspect that he was teasing.

He cleared his throat, remaining calm and collected, before continuing. He was nearly positive that there was more to her then this. He was impressed at how well she did open up however with all her nerves bounding around her. She worked well under pressure. "As much as that is a charming side, for seduction missions, you have to find the target's need for you."

The change of the word from "man" to "target" didn't escape Sakura's sharp mind though she wasn't sure what it meant exactly.

"To put it bluntly as Kisame would, you are trying to sell yourself, so you have to show what you can do." He watched her expression carefully.

With a narrow of eyes she crossed her arms at the sound of her being more of an object then a person. It was to be expected she supposed. She just hoped that there wouldn't be any knee-weakening kissing happening again between her and Itachi. She wasn't sure if she could take another one from this man and still remain sane… How was that a good thing?

**Because this is Uchiha Itachi! Look at him!**

_I see him._

**But you aren't looking at him like you were by the fire….**

_There is a reason for that! I want to keep my sanity! What would he think if I just openly gawked at him?!_

**Admit it! You do like him.**

_No I don't!_

**Oh, I see it entirely differently. **

Sakura left it at that, not wanting to know what her inner mind was thinking. Looking back to Itachi she continued. "So go to Ino's level of ego?"

"That would help. Would you like to give it a try?"

"You're getting some enjoyment out of this aren't you," she asked accusingly, opting for agitation instead of the persistent blush.

"… Hn"

"Bastard," she said in a low tone.

He only chuckled. "If you don't want to do this then it's fine. Like I said you were convincing already and we will arrive at the village tomorrow morning."

"No-it's fine…." Sighing she put on a mask that she found all too easy to plaster on and smiled warmly. Act like Ino… Act like Ino… What the _fuck_ would Ino do?

Sauntering up to Itachi she placed one hand on his shoulder while the other wrapped to the back of his neck like before however she ran her fingernails over his skin lightly, remembering what Ino and Tsunade had told her between lessons and their wild nights at bars. Itachi nodded to show that she was on the right track, giving her a little bit more confidence. On the out side she looked calm and in control, but on the inside, her mind ravaged through what to do next and how did she do it. Nothing was clear to her and all she did was think with her mantra; _what would Ino do?_ It wasn't like Sakura never saw her hanging off guys in bars… Perhaps she should think of it in a different way? Instead of focusing on Ino, she looked to the dark eyes that stared fixedly on her and again she found herself wondering around in the depths. Her eyes became half-lidded and her stomach tightened in a ball, but she couldn't stop now. Leaning up she brushed her lips over his but not in a kiss. He seemed to have been looking for the kiss as well but when receiving none he waited for her to make the next move. It was starting to become hard not to take control of the situation right then, but he had more control then that and knew it was to help Sakura so the mission was successful, or so that was what he repeated to himself.

Sakura was starting to get braver and instincts from when she went on her few dates with Kiba returned. With a wry smirk, she kissed Itachi, meeting that spark that ignited between them and continued to deepen it. She wasn't aware that Itachi had turned them around on the branch as she licked his bottom lip asking for entrance. He willingly gave in as he opened his mouth but her sweet tongue didn't enter like he had expected and she led him to believe. Instead she took this time to purse her lips over his bottom lip and began to suck gently… Oh his weakness. After a few nimble sucks she released in a light pull and looked to meet his eyes. Emerald smoldered into crimson that shimmered brightly and for one last added effect, she licked her bottom lip in a tease. This was starting to become too much for him and he resisted the urge to push her up against the tree and ravage her right then and there under the watching stars. This was starting to become dangerous and he was in an inner battle whether to continue or not when she thankfully settled it herself by backing away with her cheeks turning flush. "Um… how was that?" she asked while trying to push all the effects he seemed to have on her away from her mind. It was easier said then done, but she did what she had always done to keep her mind from it by focusing on business.

"…Perfect," he answered once he regained his composure. Obviously kissing was down and normally he would feel the need to make sure she was experienced enough for the rest of the seduction…. But there was no way he was allowing it to get any farther then a kiss. There would be hell to pay if that happened. "You should probably get some sleep," he said softly after a moment and she smiled back.

"Yeah," she said sheepishly. "Big mission and all…" with that she jumped from the tree and walked back to the camp while Itachi took a seat against the tree he was at now and sighed. With one knee bent and an arm resting on it, he looked to the stars in between the tree tops.

What was he getting into?

* * *

The next morning came all too soon for the kunoichi, but she wasn't quite as worried as she had been the days before. In fact, Kisame was a little suspicious as to what he must've missed. Itachi had his sight back perfectly and with a few more sessions from Sakura he would have perfect vision till the day he died. Sakura was chatting happily next to him about Tenten and Neji who had finally gotten together and started to move to…… More intimate positions just when Kakuzu was assigned to their team. Kisame laughed uncontrollably while letting her in on what he found was so funny. It was something along the lines of "For his sake I hoped they could keep it in their pants long enough for him to go to sleep." Sakura couldn't help the laughter that bounded from her at the mention of that and knew that the poor bounty hunter must have had some sleepless nights.

"Do you think he would've told them in the morning that he couldn't sleep?" she asked. She by all means had no idea what the masked man was like to be around.

"Nah," Kisame reassured. "He would've barged in their on their hot sex and told them if they didn't shut the fuck up, he would call Hidan over to take care of them."

"Oh," her grin dropped to a dry look. "That's comforting."

"Speaking of which," Kisame began as they followed Itachi towards the village where their target was at. "Should we be expecting anyone to be visiting you late in the night? I want you to know that your curfew is 11:00 missy," he teased. "But seriously, I want to know who is coming to see you so I don't accidently cut off his head."

Sakura snorted and looked to Itachi out of the corner of her eye. He seemed to be indifferent to the topic, which was usual and she shrugged it off-pushing the night before from her mind. What she didn't know was that he was actually listening intently, wondering that question for himself. "Well there is Naruto," she started. "But he only comes around when he wants something or is bored and wants to talk."

"Eh… I'm talking about any tumble buddies."

"_Tumble buddies_?" she asked skeptically. She had to admit that it had a cute ring to it instead of fuck buddies. Perhaps it was because he had manners. **(That phrase just came to me and I love it!)**

"Yeah. When I get back, I may have two, seeing as I didn't get to have any the last time we were back home," he grinned.

Sakura's temper rose at the mere thought. "Whores and sluts are not allowed in the house!"

"Why not?" he asked un-phased by her reaction.

"Because they could have diseases!"

"That's only if you don't have _protection_, kitten."

"Bull Shit! I said no!"

"Then I say that you don't get a tumble buddy!" he yelled back angrily.

If she wasn't so serious then she would've laughed her guts out hearing him say that. Instead she settled for a dry, "I think I can manage."

"You're just racist."

"I live with you don't I?"

"Let me point out that neither a blue ninja nor whores have anything to do with racism," Itachi said calmly.

Both blinked and looked to his back before continuing with the argument. "When I get back, I'm finding you a girlfriend."

"Good luck! I don't think you'll find one that likes the blue skin and sharp teeth."

"Well you should stop settling on whores and shallow bitches," she replied calmly. "Find a real woman and you will be pleased…. And safer from diseases."

"Stupid medic," he mumbled just out of ear reach, but he left the conversation at that. Only ten minutes later did they arrive in the village to find themselves in front of a hotel. Sakura led the way in and stopped short at the desk where a young woman resided looking up, she greeted the three with a wide smile. "Can I help you three?"

"We need two rooms please," Sakura returned with her own smile.

"Sure thing," the woman assured and started pulling two keys out. "Two rooms for you-"

"Only one room." Came the monotone voice. Sakura looked back questioningly at Itachi who was already staring at her with a look that dared her to argue. Well he got his match.

"Why only one room? They only have two beds you know, and I can't see you two being willing to share a bed," she pointed at the two men to make her point.

Kisame seemed to choke on air as he coughed to clear his throat with wide eyes, but Sakura didn't spare him a glance.

"Actually they have a couch that pulls into a bed," informed the woman.

Sakura turned her glare to the lady who seemed unaffected. Then again she was in a village near the border so it was no surprise to see threatening ninja around. "That couch would end up being mine and I won't have it! These two wouldn't go for it either with the size of their egos, not that they would fit on it anyway!"

"Oh… I see…," sweat dropped the woman as she looked expectantly to the still coughing Kisame.

"I am fully aware that they only have two beds, _Sakura_," Itachi replied from the interruption. "But I think we can manage." Before she could rant about him taking the couch then, he pushed past her and took a key while dropping the payment on the counter with a curt nod. Not waiting for the others, he followed up the stairs with Sakura on his heels fuming that not only was she going to do her first seduction mission, but she didn't even get her own room to change in. Kisame however looked up the length of the stairs before sighing and mumbling about how he knew it was going to be him that ended up on the damn couch.

Shortly after they were in the room with their cloaks on the back of the couch or on the floor. Sakura stood in the middle of the room with her hands on her hips, inspecting all of the assets in the room as if they had insulted her like a class full of immature students. Itachi raised an eyebrow but didn't say anything as he came up behind her. Right on cue, she spun around to no doubt claim one of the beds only to meet a chest. A squeak left her lips and she jumped back a few inches. Even after the events that took place the night before, she wasn't sure where they stood or even if it meant anything… When she kissed him, she, sadly, had meant it, but she was sure it couldn't be the same as Itachi.

"Let's go over the mission details," he replied and walked around her to sit on the bed she just happened to want. Grumbling under her breath she walked and sat on the second bed as if claiming it as Kisame walked in. Already seeing the two people on the two beds, he shut the door harshly and settled hard on the couch in his own silent tantrum.

Sakura looked over to Kisame blankly before turning back to Itachi who sat across from her. "He should be there around the bar at 7:45-8pm tonight so we will have you there… ten minutes before. You'll have to be at the bar with an empty seat by you, preferably when you walk in, it will be the first that you see."

Sakura nodded to continue.

"The idea is for you to charm him into taking you upstairs where we will come in and take him into questioning. All you have to do is convince him to go with you away from public eyes."

"Sounds simple enough," she agreed. Looking at the clock, she forced a smile. "I better go get ready then…"

* * *

The time came all too quickly for Sakura's preference, but she had no control over time. It was a pity seeing as she was standing in front of her mirror with a tight blue halter top and skinny blue jean skirt that rose high on her thighs. She had borrowed the outfit from Ino before she left and was deeply regretting it, though it did fit with the mission. She had set a jutsu over her hair, turning it into a lush brunette that hung in the same wavy length. Her make-up was light due to her absolutely refusing to put more on then necessary. She had limitations on "too much" and she was not interested in passing that line for any reason necessary.

Sighing to her self she smoothed her hair one last time before walking out, preparing for any snide remarks from Kisame. But when she stepped out, the room was vacant except for Itachi who stood in all his glory by the couch. Hearing her walk out, he looked to her and secretly thanked Kami for letting his sight return fully during this said mission. Sakura's thin tight thighs were visible and smooth under the light with her stomach bare and showing a simple belly ring that sparkled. He could feel the anger rise slightly knowing that this…_man_ would have the pleasure of exploring Sakura when she deserved no such thing. He was unaware that his normal placid features had narrowed dangerously.

Sakura, though, took notice and cleared her throat nervously. "Is there something wrong?"

Itachi blinked and looked to the door. "Hn. Are you ready?"

"… As ready as I ever will be," she said reluctantly. Itachi walked over and held the door open for her to walk through.

"Kisame is already in the alley and I will arrive in a little while," he explained. Sakura nodded and walked out into the hall and down the stairs, thankful that there weren't many people to see her in such a state. As she walked out into the street, her confidence slid to her stomach as she looked at the still busy streets. She really hated life at this point and cursed Tsunade for sending her on this. Then again, Ino was normally the one who did it and she was in no shape after the news to take on a mission. Sakura sighed once more and made her way down the street with the clips of her heels against the street, followed by many cat calls. Knowing that she had to play the part, she forced a smile at the men and winked, nearly gagging in the process. How did Ino do it? There was new respect for the blonde woman now.

Reaching the bar, she sauntered in, purposely, letting Inner have a little free rein. That was her secret weapon… Men be warned.

Swaying her hips with the comfort of her long brown hair bouncing off of her back, she took a seat at the bar as music played loudly with an impounding, **bump-bump-bump** from the woofer. It was a bright bar with a huge dance floor on the other side from where she sat and she watched in amusement as a few drunks struggled to stay standing as women pushed themselves up against them. It wasn't until there was a cough that brought her around to see the bartender smiling at her with dark stained teeth. "What can I get ya, sweet heart?"

"Oh, I would _love_ a Cosmo," she purred. The man's smile grew. After he disappeared from the corner, she looked around to see a few men eyeing her openly and one in particular patting his lap to welcome her. She smiled coyly, and looked back to see her drink that was set down in front of her. "How much?"

"On the house, doll face."

_Gag!_ "Well that's very kind of you," she smiled.

Instead of walking away, he looked around cautiously before leaning against the counter. "I get off in two hours… you wanna head up stairs when I get off?"

Sakura looked has his grubby thick hands that were touching her arm that held her glass. Again the coy smile came into play and she leaned forward, letting Inner take it from here. "It would be the standard costs and uh… maybe a nice little tip…" she winked again.

"Oh, I think I can pull something off," he grinned and left to attend to someone else while she took a much needed gulp from her drink, once sure it had no poison.

"You are a terrible player," commented another voice from beside her. She blinked and looked to her right only to come face to face with her intended target.

**Bingo.**

"Oh, yeah? How so?" she said in a disinterested tone as she turned back to her glass. The messy blonde hair and dark amber eyes was a clear sign that he was the man… a very attractive man at that…. To bad he had to die.

"You must need the money if you're settling for a bloke like that. You're way too attractive to be settling for any kind of low life."

"First off, that doesn't answer my question, and secondly," she turned to look at him. "Are you making an offer, Mr….?"

The man chuckled and shifted to get a better look at her as his caramel eyes inspected her. She felt the fire of anger ignite in her belly, but she pushed it down with a smile. "Goro….Why did you agree to _him_?"

"I never did agree," she took another healthy sip from her drink. "All I have to do to get out of it is find another… customer who is willing to have a nice tumble with."

"And have you found him yet?"

Emerald met amber and a wry smirk curled her lips. "Oh, I think I found just the man…"

Again the man chuckled and scooted towards her so he was inches away. A cunning fox-like grin pushed his lips and he let a hand settle on her thigh. "What's the usual charge, love?"

"Standard charge," she replied simply. Again the uncomfortable feeling returned all too soon for her liking. Maybe if she went past it then she would relax a little more. With this theory in play, she moved her thigh closer to him, though it took all the courage she had to encourage him. The man seemed all to please by the subtle move and couldn't resist a not so subtle one to her. He leaned forward, while pulling a hand into her brunette locks and crashed his lips to hers in a brutal kiss. She was shocked by the need he had and she tried not to pull back. After a few moments, he wanted it deeper, to taste her moist cavern. Once his tongue darted over her own lips to get entrance, she hesitated… big mistake. Growling slightly, he pulled her head back by her hair that she clearly winced at only for him to crash his lips again. It wasn't the fact that he was rougher then an average- well mannered- man was that had her courage run from her. It was the sudden dark chakra that surrounded her that she hadn't felt before; not even when he walked in. He was dangerous and the taste of alcohol was well in his breath, showing that he had already hit a bar or two before this one. She finally grabbed what she could of her rambling mind and pushed away from him. The man looked taken aback as if he had never been rejected, but Sakura knew she couldn't leave on such terms. They needed the information he had. She wouldn't run away with that. Trying to recover from her natural reaction of pushing him away, she smiled much in a predatory way and leaned towards his ear. "Let's go up stairs and have some real fun," she tempted. The man chuckled and all too quickly pulled her to her feet, which she stumbled from her unbalanced high heels. Gripping her arms, he pulled her towards the stair way before roughly pushing her against the wall so that he was out of sight from the main people in the bar. Sakura tried to contain her composure but it was getting harder and harder as she tried to keep her natural instincts of just punching the man through a few walls. Before anything could be done, he collided his lips to hers and roughly bit her lip, making a deep blood trail to run down her chin that he eagerly lapped up. Again he chuckled and emerald eyes widened in fear. This man was crazy.

She felt a hand move under her shirt and up towards her breast while the other ripped at her skirt, trying to brake through the button. "Upstairs," Sakura said breathlessly and put a hand to his to make him stop. She knew Itachi and Kisame would help her once she got him away from the public.

"Better get used to these hands," Goro sneered drunkenly and pushed a knee in between her thighs to spread them apart.

Sakura was in a panic. Was this man truly going to rape her here in the hallway? Did he know about the plan? Was he just suspicious that there might be some men up stairs in a room, waiting to kill him? Was she going to get out of this without blowing her cover?

No answer came to her from the dark as she felt a hand dive into her skirt. Only tears started to burn her eyelids, but she fought them down. She wouldn't show weakness. She had this taken care of… Again the lips were on hers heatedly and he grinded his hips against her stomach to show her his erection. There was no way this was happening…

She had to think of a way to get him up stairs, or at least outside… "Can we go to… your place," she asked breathlessly again, hoping he would take it as her needing him instead of the dignity that he was unaware that she possessed. "Please, I need you and I won't even charge…"

The Goro looked down to her emerald eyes and turned to what could resemble a wolf looking at a piece of meat. "I prefer my women in the alleys," he hissed.

Sakura was nearly on the verge of using one of her very own poisonous jutsus on him but froze when the man was suddenly pulled from in a violent heap and thrown to the ground. She couldn't even blink her eyes before the man pulled Goro up and slammed him into the wall with a hand on his throat as he gagged and heaved for air. A pair of scarlet eyes turned to Sakura in the dim hallway and her eyes widened. "Itachi?"

Many people were now looking at the three in the mouth of the hallway to see the interaction. No one made a move to interfere. They knew better then to do that. Itachi's eyes were lit in a seething snarl and he pulled the man from the wall not to gently. "Mission's over," he said simply and all but dragged to gasping man from the bar. Sakura followed at his heels, trying to regain composure over herself as she passed many silent watchers until they were outside. Instead of stopping and asking Goro questions, Itachi continued walking with the man in tow; whose heels kicked and dragged two lined in the dirt as a trail towards the hotel.

Kisame came up beside her and looked expectantly to Itachi's back, but didn't say anything to the Uchiha after feeling the venomous waves of chakra. Looking questioningly to Sakura she only shrugged at Itachi's actions and both hurried after the raven haired man to find out what was going on…

**Tadaa!!! Yup so the story picks up like I told you it would! And you didn't believe me, psh! Typical. **

**Anyway thanks to all reviewers and fav's. Aslo to answer questions, the sample that Sakura has of the detection liquid thingy is what shows up on Kabuto's screen from the last chapter. **

**Thanks again and please review to all those who aren't. It isn't that hard, really! Just push the button and leave a few goo sentences! **


	15. Regrets

**Hey there!! I'll keep this short for all of you and get right to it! Thanks to all my reviews!! This story would be nothing if it wasn't for you!**

Black eyes watched the kunoichi walk across the street from the hotel room with the curtains pulled back just enough for him to watch outside but not be seen. Smoothly and with no problem, she entered the bar where Kisame was just outside in the alley. She was clearly displeased with the outcome of this plan, however she had subtly followed the orders without too many complaints following. Outside of the small remarks of whores and pigs, she seemed……well there wasn't a word that Itachi would use for such an emotion. Entertaining it was for him as he had kept a smirk from conquering his lips while she had been in the bathroom changing.

Brining his thoughts back to the mission, he glanced outside. After making certainty that it was clear, he made his way down the stairs, across the street and within moments, found himself in front of the bar with his hands in his pockets and deadly gaze at the entrance where he had a decent view of the inside filled with many people. He made a move to take a step towards the fire escape that would lead to the upstairs rooms but stopped when his focus didn't leave the entry way._ Why wasn't he going upstairs like the plan?_

He just couldn't convince himself to. Instead his entire concentration was directed at the brunette sitting at the bar. With Itachi's eyes in sharp sight, he watched as Sakura took a drink from the bartender and exchanged a few words. _Perhaps he should wait before going upstairs…._ Going with his gut feeling, he went to the opposite alleyway where a small window gave view of the inside.

It was then that the target entered the building and stopped in the doorway, while swiping his clouded gaze around the room and many people before inevitably landing on Sakura. With a wide grin, the target swaggered over and took a seat next to her. Itachi pulled his eyes away from them and in a very un-Itachi like manner, he sighed. He had finally brought his curiosity to conclusion only to find himself walking towards a fire escape that led to the rooms upstairs. Step by step he took to the top only to pause once a strange dark chakra surged wildly from inside the bar. Pushing down the strange rise in alarm, he returned to the window and witnessed the blonde shinobi kiss Sakura violently into submission before she managed to push him away. Anger only bled to rage as the incident progressed into a hallway where they disappeared from his sight. The rage was ravenous like a territorial wolf and he could feel his inner beast knaw against his restraints to interfere, though Itachi took a deep breath through his nostrils and tried to gain control of his strange indescribable emotions but it showed no purpose. He could feel her chakra start to go into panic and he angrily threw out the original plan, having no interest in keeping the mission subtle. With nostrils flaring, he stormed in and flashed to the man whose hands were straining against Sakura's chest and his hips grinding into her. Every logical thought flew from the window as he viciously pulled him from the kunoichi. All he heard was the small distressed, "Itachi?" before he pulled the man up by his throat. The clouded gaze of the man before him only stared back into the bleeding scarlet sharringan, clearly petrified…. Oh how easy it would be to break his neck, Itachi pondered, but the need for information outweighed is sudden anger as well as the flood of confusion that crashed in his mind. "Mission's over," he growled as he unceremoniously dragged the man out of the silent bar and to the street.

He didn't pay any attention to Sakura or Kisame as they followed behind him to the hotel room. All he could hear was the gags and pleas from the man in his right hand grip. Goro was insistent on the desperate kicks with his heels against the dirt, no doubt leaving a long trail showing his struggles. Itachi didn't care. All he could think about was how he was going to settle the anger that he felt. The possessive streak that he had never felt so strongly for. The one thing he knew for sure was that this man was going to give the answers they needed before he would fall into his own fate and into six feet under ground. To think that Goro thought he had a right to forcefully take what he wanted from the kunoichi, he was clearly mistaken and Itachi would be the man to show him exactly that. Though there was one question that remained to him as he walked upstairs to their hotel room with the thud-thud-thud of the man's legs following behind.

Why was he feeling this? What was it about Sakura that had brought this out of him?

He would blame it on her being on his team. After all if she became afraid of such missions then that would only slow them down, right? Sure. Let's go with that. Though he knew it wasn't even close to the fact. She was an attractive kunoichi, but looks weren't something that made him loose such control of his very own emotions. Maybe he was just grateful? After all she had healed his eyes… Though even that wasn't the entire truth…

Coming to the door, he pushed the last of his thoughts aside and unlocked it; the pleas and gurgles becoming nothing but a hum in the background of noise. The sound of Sakura and Kisame following in and closing the door, left Itachi shoving the target into a chair while pulling both hands behind the wood to tie it off. No need to let him try anything and quicken his death.

Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Kisame pull the couch around to watch-no doubt entertained- and Sakura set up a jutsu to keep it silent to anyone who may be listening in. "What the hell is this?! Do I owe you money?..." Goro caught sight of the forehead protectors and his demeanor changed. "Fuck you leaf nin! I'm not telling you shit!"

"So you know what we are here for. Good. That will make this a whole lot faster," grinned Kisame as he plopped a seat onto the couch.

"I'm not talking!"

"That's what I'm counting on," Itachi said darkly, already feeling his sharringan spin dangerously.

The man made the mistake of making eye contact and he visibly gulped. "Just kill me now 'cause you'll just be wasting your time!"

"There's worst things then death," Sakura informed as she turned her hair back to its lush pink. "I can name off a lot of ways that you would be speechless of knowing."

"You? I doubt it! I should've known you were a little snitch-you're body is too hot to be true-"

Itachi leaned into his face with a hand gripping the man's shoulder bruising. "Don't look at her," he warned in a low voice where Sakura and Kisame couldn't hear. "Now for the first question: what do you know of the shinobi camps?"

The man blinked, but didn't say anything. Itachi's scarlet eyes narrowed and he sat up while taking a few steps back. "Sakura."

Strange that he would want her to be the first to "convince" the man, she said nothing and stepped closer. Her emerald eyes looked down upon him in disgust, knowing that he would've raped her if it wasn't for Itachi. There wasn't much compassion to face him with-not to mention that he worked with the same people who killed Shikamaru. "What are you going to do?" he asked daringly as if she wouldn't be able to do anything that could injure him.

"There are many different things to do to you… I prefer bones though. The ribs are the easiest to start with, of course. They take so little pressure," she explained darkly to try and scare him into submission while Itachi watched from the side with the same dark expression. "A foot on the ribcage and the lungs are crushed, a moment of weak pain, the breathing… stinted." Sakura reached the man and glanced momentarily to Itachi who nodded for her to continue. Looking back she started to walk behind the now blank faced man. "More pressure, and the oxygen levels decrease, the eyes dim, the lungs burn… and the heaviness on the chest becomes so… unbearable," she whispered the last word in his ear.

"That won't scare me, sweetheart." The pet name only managed the sharringan to darken menacingly.

"I wasn't finished yet… You see, bones grate against panting organs and then as weakness overcomes the body there comes the irresistible _snap_," she snapped two of his fingers that was followed by a cry of pain, but she continued, "muffled under layers of tissue. Searing pain as muscle parts from melded bone, the quiet muscular rip, and then…the weight is lifted."

She came around the front of him, to see him pondering it over with color draining slowly from his face. "What do you know of the camps?"

"…All I know is that it's a mixture of Mist and Sound ninja."

"That tells us nothing," Kisame said as he stood to join the others with his Samehada over his shoulder. "Better start explaining in better detail."

"Or else what-"

Samehada came down onto his lap and shredded into his flesh, emitting a scream from the man as the chakra pulled from his vessels. The blade retracted and the man gritted his teeth, leaving his face pale as death. "O-ok. There is a man… His name is Ryuu and he is going to get other villages to help him and Orochimaru."

"What else?"

"There are nine camps along the borders of Fire and Wind Country. Just enough to hinder teams and travelers with a not-so-safe passage way."

"Don't stop now," Sakura warned.

But the man had already lost his motivation. "Screw you, whore."

This time Sakura beat Kisame to him and sent a punch to the man's jaw, sending his chair to fall over. "You're in no position to threaten."

"Bitch," he grumbled. This led another punch to his head before she sat him back upright.. "R-Ryuu plans to have a meeting at the end of this week with a few other villages, but it's unknown when it'll happen!"

"What villages are going to be there?" Itachi asked.

"Cloud and Stone will be there."

"What else?"

"…"

Sakura narrowed her eyes. "How did you know we were going to be after you?"

"I only figured you would be wanting answers after those idiots at the camp were stupid enough to be found out by two Konoha shinobi," he sneered. "They fucked this whole thing up."

Sakura's heart missed a beat and she leaned down in front of the blonde's face and stared into Amber eyes. "And what do you know about them?"

"Them?"

"The two Konoha shinobi!" she snapped. Her anger was starting to grow which was very rare for her. She could only assume it was because of the nerves she had for the entire mission taking effect on her body.

"Wouldn't you like to know," he snickered in her face and her eyes narrowed.

Snap-

The snickering was muffled into a short cry as she broke three more of his fingers. "I'm not here to play games-Now what aren't you telling me?!"

Regaining from the initial shock he glared at her. "Forget it."

Itachi had had enough at this point and pulled Sakura away who sent a confused stare into his back, but he ignored it as he knelt to Goro's level. Amber eyes stared cautiously and all he heard was a deep chuckle from the blue nin before he was pulled into a strange world of red skies….

* * *

**A/N I'm sure you guys really don't care about what I have to say, but I write things because there is a reason for it. The reason for these stories is because we are going through things like this today. War happens and this is getting darker. I just wanted to warn you before we go ahead with my twisted mind…**

* * *

Temari stood solemnly in a burned and scattered village with bodies of the villagers pilled only two hundred yards away in the dense tree line; most likely from the shinobi not wanting to smell the corpses… They could have buried them… That was the least they could've done. But if they were the kind to kill a village for no reason except enjoyment then there wasn't any reason for them to have enough honor to bury the dead, right? Who kills for fun like that anyway? These people weren't even shinobi and they were still killed. Sadly she looked long and hard at the ground where long marks in the sand showed the trail to the pile of corpses that were dragged out of the camp area. The stench reached her nose and she could only take in small breaths from the repulsive sour odor and the buzz of flies feeding upon the flesh. The branches above were scattered with many crows and ravens waiting for their stomachs to become empty once more before they feasted. "The slimy pigs," she growled and forced the tears down. What kind of monsters would do this? To these families? _The sick fucks_…

"Temari," Tenten said sadly as she came up from behind the sand kunoichi. "I… I think this was Shikamaru's."

The blonde turned to face the brunette who held out her hand. A small black stud earring laid lonely in her palm with blood crusted on a small part of it. Temari raised her eyes to Tenten, who avoided her gaze, then back to the earring before taking it. "Where was this?" she asked quietly.

"Kakuzu found it…"

"Was there anything else? Any trail or clue?"

"No," came a deeper voice from behind Tenten. Neji walked to the two girls and sighed. "The enemy camp cleaned up everything. There's nothing we can do."

Temari glanced to the two faces. She didn't want to give up yet… But there was nothing she could do… "Alright. Let's go get Kakuzu and head home…" A sympathetic look flashed over Tenten's face; knowing how difficult it was for Temari.

Neji turned first and led the way to the bounty hunter just beyond the tree line, where they found him returning to them with a scroll clutched tightly in his left hand. "What is that?" Tenten asked from her spot next to Neji.

Kakuzu looked to the scroll then to the three. "Not sure," he said shortly and opened it. Dark eyes scanned the contents while the three stood in silence and waited. Finally he looked up and placed the scroll into his pouch.

"What did it say? Where did you find it?"

Kakuzu started walking away. "Near the bodies. Someone must have dropped it when they were dragging the corpses to the pile," he explained. He had no intention of telling them what was in it, knowing that they would want to go all the way to Grass. Konoha ninja were too compassionate and that's what got them into trouble. If he could help it, they weren't going to find out anything about this.

"So that's it then?" Temari asked as she walked beside Tenten. "We found nothing on Shikamaru?"

Tenten sighed sadly. "I'm sorry, Temari… Really I am."

Her head dropped lower. "I know you are…"

The stench became worse as they arrived at the pile of empty shell like bodies; where blood stained the dirt in scarlet. "Who will do the honors?" Kakuzu asked.

Neji stepped forward and pulled his hands into a seal before going through the motion and pattern. "Fire burial," he murmured just as fire sprouted from his palm and ignited the pile of flesh, sending the many black birds into the sky, cawing their complaints. Satin black feathers fell around them as the forest came to life with flames in the bodies and smoke reached dark hands to the blue sky. "That was the least we could do for them," he said slowly to Tenten who watched wretchedly.

"I know… Let's just go home…"

* * *

"They told m-me that they to-took two shinobi prisoner… They said…it was at the camp two miles into Fire Country from Waterfall!"

The man was singing a beautiful melody once he returned from Itachi's sharringan.

"I don't know one's name but I remember them say Nara… That's all I know I swear!"

Sakura looked hopeful and she stepped towards him with wide emerald eyes. "Are they alive? Are they ok?"

"They're alive…. For now. I don't know how much longer they have before the camp gets tired of taking them around before they kill them…" There was no color to his complexion and his eyes were clouded over not to mention that his blonde hair hung glued to his forehead from sweat. "You aren't going to let me go are you?"

Sakura said nothing but looked away. That was a clear enough sign to him.

"Please, let me go. I won't breathe a word of this!"

"You talked all too easily for us," Kisame grunted.

"What else do you know?" Itachi asked one last time.

"…That's it. I swear to you-that's it."

"So be it." He walked to the man and pulled a kunai gracefully from his pouch.

"Wait," Sakura interrupted as she walked to Itachi and set her hand upon his that held the blade. "I'll do it."

Itachi blinked but Kisame asked the question before he could. "Why, kitten?"

"Because I… want to." She didn't have to give them a reason, much less the truth. Itachi studied her for a moment, but she held his gaze stubbornly, before he lowered his hand. The kunoichi said a quiet thanks and walked behind the man whose pleading almond eyes watched her every move. "This will be painless," she whispered. Before he could utter another beg, she sent her chakra into his spinal cord at the base of his neck, killing him instantly. She hated to do it, but it was a sad truth that she had begun to get very used to it… even worse was that she was good. With patients in the hospital that weren't going to make it and not wanting to be in pain anymore, she relieved them only to add more grief on her own shoulders. It was a selfless act and yet she hadn't seen the bright side to it yet.

But there was one thing that stayed there on her mind as she stared sadly at the man hunched in the chair…. Shikamaru may still be alive…

* * *

It was only a few hours later that they were nearing the half way point to Konoha and the air around the four had lifted greatly. Temari was starting to smile, even if it was forced, while she talked to Tenten about her brothers. Tenten took it in good stride and laughed softly while adding a few small gossips about what had been happening and growing in Konoha since the last time Temari had been there. The brunette had worked carefully around the subjects of Ino and Shikamaru, not sure if it was too early for that kind of talk. She didn't want the sand kunoichi to go back to her quite unusual silent self. It was just plain weird for her to be speechless.

Neji and Kakuzu walked calmly in the front of the two kunoichi, both as silent as ever. Neji walked with hands swaying at his side and his face blank of any emotion. The same could have been said for the tall man next to him if it wasn't for his mask covering his face from view, leaving piercing eyes to let your imagination figure out.

A sudden surge of chakra met the two men who stopped on impact, nearly making the two women behind them collide. "What's going on you two? Why'd you stop?" Tenten asked, slightly flustered.

Neji visibly bristled at realization of what was in store for them and he narrowed his eyes. "Uchiha."

"…What?"

But her answer came in landing before her, accompanied by two others. The three stood to their feet and examined the four Konoha shinobi before them. Neji naturally stepped forward and activated his hazel Byakuya to stare daringly at crimson Sharringan.

Uchiha Sasuke glared back spitefully but swiped his gaze over the others before landing on Temari only to linger on Kakuzu. "And what do we have here?" Kabuto asked as he pushed past Sasuke.

"You have no reason to be here unless you are completely suicidal," Neji sneered.

Sasuke only smirked at the tone, but his eyes were narrowed threateningly. "Watch it, Hyuga. I would've thought that you would have learned by now how to pick your fights."

Karin snickered behind him, earning a glare from the two women. "Your red hair will be colored in your own blood, bitch," Temari informed.

This turned Sasuke's attention back to the others that stood around Neji. There was the sand kunoichi that he remembered from the Chunnins and a new man who he didn't recognize. He was considerably taller then the other. Hell he was taller then Kakashi and like his once sensei, he too wore a mask that covered half of his face. There was no jounin vest or Anbu armory, but there was, however, a forehead protector that wasn't in the slightest a Konoha symbol. "Who are you?"

Kakuzu stared, already making up his mind that these three weren't going to leave alive. He had no real reason to kill them except for the fact that they had associated him with Konohagakure… Then again he was part of them now, but shit that wasn't the point. They were clearly saying they were better then him; their stance told him that. Only Hidan was one to get away with it with his life… Just because the prick was immortal. Well, he highly doubted that these three worshipped Jashin.

"I asked you a question-" Sasuke snarled once he received no answer.

"That is Kakuzu from Akatsuki," Kabuto informed, but immediately regretted it. If Sasuke found out-which now he did- that Akatsuki were in Konoha then that would mean that Itachi was there. It was yet brought to the youngest Uchiha's attention on why he needn't worry about Itachi now which would lead to him running off to take his revenge. Orochimaru wouldn't be pleased…

"…What?"

"Oh, yeah," Neji started smugly. He wouldn't pass up this opportunity to rub it into the traitor's face. "You're still looking for Itachi aren't you?"

Sasuke's hands clenched and his Sharringan burned brighter. Karin walked up behind him and placed her hand on his shoulder but he shrugged it off without taking he eyes from Neji. The Hyuga didn't wait before he continued.

"How does it feel to know that you left Konoha and all your friends to get stronger and find Itachi when he ended up returning back to the Village? Not to mention that he was welcomed back with open arms, which is more then I can say for you-" A kunai was sent at his head but he leaned to the left while it missed him and lodged into a tree. The smirk stayed in place but he didn't say anything else.

"Did you know about this?" Sasuke asked through clenched teeth to Kabuto who pushed his glasses up out of habit.

"There is a lot to explain, and I believe Ryuu will answer anything you want him to."

"Where's Itachi now?" he tossed back to the group of four.

"On a mission, so don't try searching Konoha looking for him," Tenten warned.

"Where did he go?"

"Don't know," Temari shrugged dispassionately. "Only him, Kisame and Sakura got the mission detail-"

"Sakura?" he asked in wider eyes, but still narrowed from normality. "What does he want with her?" the last part was said in sarcasm. Surely Sakura was just the weak tearful girl as always. Itachi wouldn't waste his time with that!

"Uh… Did you get dumber? She is on his team," Tenten sweat dropped.

"Don't talk like that to my Sasuke!" Karin fumed as she stomped her foot with her hands clenched at her side.

Tenten and Temari exchanged glances, while trying to muster their grins into a frown but they both couldn't hold it in as they burst with laughter.

Karin's face flushed and she started to pull her kantana, but Sasuke held up his arm to stop her. Though he was eager for a fight- especially with the Hyuga- he knew he had too much on his mind to focus on it at the moment. The news that the brother who you had sworn to kill for revenge of your clan was now in the very village you left to search for him-not to mention that he had one of his own team mates- only added fuel to the fire. After all he had done, the damn bastard was back where he had started. The possibilities of what it would have been like if he stayed in Konoha had haunted his mind, but he always pushed it away, not wanting to think about the past. It was over-no more. But again the possibilities crashed upon him harder then before, while dragging him under. If he had just stayed and learned from all that he could, then Itachi would've came to him! He would've walked right to his front step and he was sure that the eldest would've been defenseless! Now he was furthest from his goal then ever before… Now he couldn't return to Itachi who was safe within Konoha's walls! "Let's go," he growled. He had to get his thoughts in order. He had to find out more from this puzzle. There was too much that he was missing for this whole ordeal and Ryuu had the answers.

He started to turn but stopped and looked to Neji and the others. "Before I go, tell me why Sakura is with him."

"They needed someone strong to be on the team. Sakura fit just fine," Neji said shortly. He wasn't going to pass up the last chance to make the Uchiha's mind spin before he left and he succeeded by the deep scowl etched in his features before flickering into the trees with Kabuto and Karin following.

"That was really weird," Tenten mused. Temari nodded while Neji glared at the spot that was previously occupied by the three unwelcomed guests. What were they doing all this way? They weren't on a mission-or so it looked. There wasn't any scrolls, any packs like many took on assassinations, or anything to suggest differently. It was as if they were just scouting like the many teams were assigned in Konoha. But if that was the case then why were they two and a half miles in Fire Country? Perhaps it had something to do with the base camps? That was the only thing he could think of… "Damn you Shikamaru," he cursed under his breath as he started back to Konoha. "You left me here alone to do all the thinking!"

* * *

"What is going on?" Sasuke asked angrily as the three jumped through the branches. "Why are Akatsuki in Konoha?"

Kabuto sighed. He was really in no mood to listen and explain to this. "Akatsuki made an alliance with Konoha because of the War. They needed allies and so they found them."

Karin scoffed. "They'll be sorry for picking the wrong side of the war to fight on when they either die or become slaves."

Kabuto chuckled. "I agree, but I don't expect them to feel the same way."

"Why is Sakura with them?" Sasuke continued. This was perhaps the most mind blowing news. She was weak! What did she have to contribute to the team? How the hell was she still a ninja?! He would've bet money that she would've quite when he left. He always imagined her being a civilian and him returning just for her to throw herself at him.

"She lives in Konoha, Sasuke. What do you expect?" Kabuto asked exasperatedly.

Sasuke tossed a glare over his shoulder. "Don't fight you two," Karin pleaded. She hated when they fought together but it was inevitable most days.

"So he was welcomed back? They just let him return?"

"I think we already covered that. Any other questions as to why and what and who Itachi was and did will be answered in explicit detail once we arrive in Oto. That is only three hours from now. Do you think you can handle that?" Kabuto asked mockingly, but he only received a shoulder.

It wasn't a surprise. Everything that Sasuke believed was falling apart around him. It was only going to get worse when Ryuu explained the massacre to the clan.

* * *

Sakura paced behind Itachi who stood leaning against the window frame at the people below on the evening street. The bar across the road was busy and lit brightly though the dark where the reflection of the neon lights shone against the glass of the window. He had been quiet the rest of the day while keeping his thoughts to himself; helping him calm and gain more control over his emotions by the ticking minutes that passed. Kisame was asleep on one bed; it was his way of sneaking over and not getting the couch if he accidentally fell asleep. Neither Sakura nor Itachi would-much less could pick him up and take him to the couch-and the blue man knew it. Hence why he got a nice comfy bed for the night. But that wasn't why Sakura was pacing in frustration. It was with the words that was left by the blonde man.

Shikamaru was alive… Now, but how much longer would that last? For all she knew, he could be killed tomorrow- oh and same thing with Zetsu… She couldn't live with that on her conscious… A wry smile curled her lips and she felt tear rise softly but she blink once- twice before they left again and she stopped momentarily in her pacing. Here she was, killing others but she wouldn't be able to forgive herself if she didn't do anything to keep others from killing Shikamaru? It was strange that she would feel that way when it wasn't her taking the life. With a depressed shake of her head, she picked up her pacing again, bringing Itachi's attention to her. "What's on your mind?"

It was a simple enough question, but she found it hard to answer, though she did none the less. "I'm sorry, but I can't stop thinking about the camps."

He nodded his head in understanding. "It is unnerving." He said shortly as he turned away from the window and faced her.

"I know it's unnerving! It's complete lunacy! Konoha and Suna are being cut off by trade and missions from other countries! What are we supposed to do if they start adding more teams and armies to keep us contained?!" She stopped and turned her back to him to face the shrouded darkened room that would hide the tears that slowly cascaded down her cheeks. "We won't even be able to help other countries and clients with missions which means that financially, Konoha will weaken and… Our walls will fall." Her arms wrapped around herself and she clenched her eyes shut to will away the tears. "Who else am I going to loose in this war? I can't even stand loosing Shikamaru," her voice cracked.

Itachi knew she was going through a had time and he felt the rise of sympathy push past his barriers. He wanted to comfort her but… how? Sighing he looked to her shaking shoulders.

He didn't know how to make her feel better, but he knew how to be there for a shoulder. Walking behind her, he wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her to his chest, feeling her tense at the action. It wasn't sudden and it wasn't fast, but instead slow and gentle that she felt the strong chest against her shoulder blades and the pressure that expanded his chest when he inhaled her vanilla shampoo. With an unidentifiable expression, she looked over her shoulder at him. "I-Itachi?"

"Hmm?" he said as he pulled her just a few steps to the bed where he took a seat on the edge. Subtly he held her hand and guided her into his lap where she hesitantly sat. It was strangely awkward to be held by the man who she had been taught to hate. But all thoughts of Sasuke and the clan vanished with no trace left in the shadows of her mind once two arms wrapped around her protectively. Sakura instinctively leaned into his chest as the tears continued and he rested his head on her lush pink hair. It was simple but in that moment-through the sound of comforting thump-thump…thump-thump of his heart, she could almost hear his thoughts. Stupid right? That's what she thought, but you take for granted words when with others. With Uchiha Itachi, it was different. He spoke through his actions and right now she could feel his emotions swirling inside the scarlet reflections of his eyes. He was saying he didn't blame her for crying. "You aren't weak," he said quietly, so low it wasn't quite a whisper. She nodded and tears continued at the realization that this was the first time since Naruto had left that she had a shoulder to cry on. Sasuke would only turn his back and walk away while Naruto stood by her. Itachi… he actually came to her only to say the complete opposite of what his younger brother would say... Even now, as he started to rock, ever so slightly, he was saying to her what she new she had to hear. She wouldn't regret. She couldn't regret. It only hindered your ability to move on and if she did not regret then no matter what end lay ahead of them, she would have Itachi by her side. She would face it with him.

She wasn't aware that they were now laying on the bed, with her still curled into his chest and him letting her cry and release all the tears. But this wasn't just tears of the fear of what the near future held. It wasn't just for Shikamaru. These tears were for the years of her training where she turned to the woman she is today- when no one else saw her cry her release, but instead, she carried their troubles for them, so that it would make it a little easier for them to move on. The arms around her tightened and she felt… safe. It was strange and…. She found it addicting. The comfort , the safety, the respect, and the knowledge of not being rejected. It was so refreshing… It was only strengthened when she felt an ever so soft kiss at the top of her head as her eyelids grew heavier.

**Sorry. I don't like this chapter but I didn't feel like going over it any more. Please review! **


	16. Delicate Timeline

**The moment everyone has been waiting for!!! A new chapter with a few same twists!!! Please read even if you have read my previous chapters prior to me deleting them! This is a new turn in the plot that is different from the last. Thank you! **

Morning came with the warmth of the rising sun pouring through the moth eaten curtains of the shabby hotel room. All that was heard through the still room was a small moan from the pink haired kunoichi as she pulled the scratchy covers over her head, still half asleep. The act didn't turn out with the much desired effects as the sunlight still wrapped over her in an annoying brightness. After a disgruntled toss and turn, she suddenly sat up with a huff, angrily letting the covers fall from her face and into her lap. "Damn morning," she cursed while rubbing her eyes before blinking and the pure silence that was only disrupted by her own complaints. Something was different, she thought as she glanced around the room to see she was the only one there. Empty…Scanning one last time at the bed next to her that had the sheets thrown back lazily and a vacant couch across the room, she furrowed her brows. Just where were Kisame and Itachi? And what time was it?

With her mood turning darker from irritation, she kicked her feet from the bed and pulled herself to a wobbly stand only to fall back to a sitting position on the edge of the bed. She hated mornings and even more, she hated when her legs fell asleep. A sigh left Sakura's lips while she brushed aside a strand of pink hair from her face while looking over her shoulder out the window. It was suddenly lonely. The sunshine was stale through the curtains and the room silent. Why would they leave her and where would they go? They already hid away the body the night before—

Suddenly the memory of what happened came back to her. Itachi holding her while she let go of her own emotions before she fell asleep. Just what was she thinking? There really wasn't an excuse for her to act out in such a way. Just what did Itachi think of her now? No doubt he too thought she was weak….and annoying…. What a way to start over huh?

"Nothing has changed, has it?" she asked to herself but no answer came. Instead she wiggled her ankle. Wiggled her toes, kicked out her leg. Finally standing, she walked to her pack and pulled out a new black long sleeve fishnet shirt with a second grey t-shirt to pull over. She passed by a chair with her anbu cloak slung over the back which she grabbed absentmindedly, all while wondering why the two men would abscond her there by herself without leaving a note or clue as to what was going on. With an angry growl and hands thrown in the air, she trudged back towards the attached bathroom where she opened the door with a ghostly creak. With a flip of the light, the view of the old tiled counter and a lone shower in the corner came into view, all which had actually been cleaned recently. A hopeful thought that maybe today wouldn't be so bad came to her and the corner of her lips pulled upwards…..

And with one look at the mirror, it was gone and had plummeted back into a frown. Taking a step closer she nearly cringed at the sight of light bags under each of her emerald eyes that stood out more pronounced due to the bloodshot red. Lush pink hair was frizzed in odd angles with her waves taking uneven crinkles and lumps from where she had slept. Two slender fingers poked at her color drained cheeks followed by Sakura letting her hand fall onto the countertop before she rocked back on her heels; taking a look from a distance only to see that it didn't dull her brooding features.

"Damn," she muttered and turned to the shower to twist the knobs, releasing the water from its silver like prison until it rained down to the tile floor. She grimaced at the color of rusted water came from the faucet until after a few seconds of holding her breath it finally cleared to the warm and pure stream. "At least the shower works and is clean," Sakura assured herself with a hand running through her hair and the other testing the temperature.

As she carefully pulled her clothes off and let it pool at her feet, she started with her shirt before pausing. The thought of Shikamaru hadn't left her mind and something new entered where restless thoughts lay. What would happen if they didn't get to him in time? And just where would they start looking? It wasn't like they had an ideal location as to where to start, not to mention that these enemy camps didn't stay in one place for too long. Sighing for what wouldn't be the last time, she checked the shower once more before she stepped in, letting a shiver shake her spine before she relaxed into the warm water but like all good things, she was on strike two when the water touched her burnt left hand.

Sakura hissed in an uncomforted twinge and pulled her hand away from the water but it didn't do anything as the steam searched her palm out and the burning increased. Cursing under her breath, she summoned chakra to her palm remembering that she had forgotten to heal it last night after they had burned the body of Goro and she had accidentally gotten too close. Moments later, the green chakra diminished, leaving her palm clear and soothed from the pain.

With a small hum whispering from her lips, for she as determined not to let her day be any worse, she stepped from the shower and quickly pulled on her bra and boy shorts, not daring to use the towel hanging from the rack. Who knew if the hotel actually washed those regularly, something she was not willing to chance.

A sudden draft shook through her bones from the cracked window above the shower where she wasted no time wrapping her cloak around her shoulders before turning back to the sink. Cloned green eyes stared back to the matching pools of emerald from the reflective glass of the mirror with fingers twisted in the worn fabric of her dark cloak that hung from her shoulders as her eyes drank in her appearance from the mirror that she stood before in a haunting silence as she traced the scars that stained her once flawless skin. Standing unbelievably short at 5' 3" didn't give her much skin but who was she to complain? Sure she was short but that just meant she was more agile and flexible to out maneuver weapons. Smaller target too… But her positive outlook on her height hit the inevitable road block there and she only shook her head at her unsolvable dilemma. Shame and embarrassment stripped at her pride, from the images of the night before, though she held tight to it, repeating that she didn't regret having so many emotions after what had happened to Shikamaru and her strange feelings for her new team. So much had happened in so little of time. Only months ago was it that she was training for anbu and Akatsuki were the enemy. At that moment, Itachi was the adversary and Sasuke was the lost soul that she vowed to bring back with Naruto…. Only a month before that, she had to deal with a new team mate, Sai, after defeating Sasori of the Red Sands…. That was when there was no talk of a war. There was no talk of the foreshadowing of death…. And everything was temporarily back to the way it was supposed to be.

Blinking slowly she looked up to meet her own reflection, not focusing on the small details but to see her naked form with only her cloak, bra, and a pair of boy shorts keeping her hidden. Behind her hanging over the top of the shower was her soaked shirt and pants that she had drying from when she had washed them while she took the second shower that day. Her darkened hair clung in wet waves, soaking her cloak till it clung to her back like a second layer of skin. The heat powdered her cheeks with a warm blush seemingly adding an innocent sight though Sakura only scowled coldly at her reflection.

With her healed hand unraveling from her cloak, she traced a scar just below her left ribcage where a pale patch stood out from the effects of a sword that was supposed to have taken her life at the hands of Sasori. It reminded her so much of what Sasuke would have done to Naruto if Sai hadn't interfered.

"Sasuke," spitefully rolled from her lips… The damn man had changed from the teammate she had once knew and that made her wonder if he was anything like Goro now or even Orochimaru. Was he really just a cold killer with no bonds left? This war only meant that they were now officially foes and this would mean that sooner or later, they would meet. Especially if it was her who was on Itachi's team now. Sakura did not envy the day that she would see him again. And the possibilities of just what would happen on that faithful day wasn't something she wanted to ponder over.

With the thoughts slowly coming to an ease, she lowered her cloak from her shoulders but still leaving it around her elbows while she turned to peer at her back. Only a few small bruises from Goro pushing her against the wall were visible but nothing that a quick 15 second heal couldn't fix up. Before she could search more, there was a low twisting of the brass knob at the front hotel door, making her jump before shrugging her cloak back on hastily. She wasted no time running into the room before making a dive for the bed to pick up her katana incase it was an enemy, just as the door opened. Gasping she turned towards the intruder and wrapped her cloak tightly around her still damp body with her other hand holding out her blade defensively.

Itachi was the first to meander inside in a way that only Uchiha Itachi could with an air of casual calm under his undeniable confidence, a strange perpetual look being sent her way from his dark irises, with Kisame just behind him. "Meh," the blue man chuckled. "I see we came in at a perfect time," he teased while examining the door with his free hand, letting it swing back and forth, emitting a strange creak from the brass hinges before shutting it behind him.

Sakura only scoffed bitterly, still watching Itachi out of the corner of her eye as he walked to a small deuce table with a bag in hand and both eyes still on her. "Don't be a baka," she started towards Kisame, pretending not to notice Itachi. "If you try to make this a regular habit of barging in then don't be surprised when you're punched through a wall. " She placed her blade back inside her sheath awkwardly with one hand while the other stayed wrapped around her to keep her cloak from opening on its own. While turning her back to the two men in this rather awkward position, Sakura hastily buttoned her cloak, all while Kisame's grin grew and Itachi emptied the bag unreceptively. Before any teasing comment could make it from Kisame's mind to his mouth, she finally turned around to face both shinobi with her cloak buttoned enough to hide her scarred torso and underwear but still failed in finishing as she unintentionally gave them a view of the top of her black bra and her bare legs. It was Itachi, however, that tried to suppress a smirk while he glanced at her up and down from the corner of his eye, taking note of how her buttons were unmatched and sloppy from her haste.

All too aware of the man's eyes, her blush darkened and she crossed her arms over her chest self-consciously as if to shield his view of her. Not being able to stand the inelegance that seemed to have found her, Sakura opened her mouth to ask where they were at but her voice lodged in her throat as her eyes landed on the two containers of take-out food in Itachi's hands. Blinking all irritation away she lowered her arms while pointing to the plates. "Is that for me?"

Blinking himself, Kisame looked to the plates where she pointed at in Itachi's hands before he smirked. "Figured you were hungry, kitten. We had an early breakfast while you were asleep and brought you back food… It was all my idea!" he stated proudly while stepping over to the couch. Itachi, though, watched Sakura as she stepped over to him, ignoring the fact that it was him who had decided to bring her food and not Kisame. Instead of voicing anything, he handed her a pair of chopsticks and a container, taking note of her pink cheeks and how she avoid straight eye contact, much to his amusement.

"Thanks," she muttered and managed a grin before walking back to the bed. It was only a few steps away that she heard an echo of following foot falls only to mean that Itachi wasn't going to stay in place like she had thought; or better yet, hoped. Sighing she spun on her heels and stopped right in front of him where he merely looked down upon her with a curious raise of his brow.

"Problem, Kunoichi?"

"Why are you following me?" she said shortly.

"Some of this is my food as well," he only replied lazily with a twitch of the corner of his lips as he brought the second container to eye level as proof.

Sakura only narrowed her eyes at him, refusing to look away all while he stared back. Seconds ticked by while she studied him, trying to inch her way under his twisted words. He was just like a jigsaw puzzle. Every time she thought she had started to figure him out, he would mix the pieces around and add new ones. Jigsaw Prince 101…. And she was losing.

After a moment of both staring, Itachi allowed a smirk to pull his lips before walking around her and to the table.

"What are you thinking," she questioned as she turned to face him with her glare weakening from her perplexity.

"Hn… What makes you believe that I was thinking of anything... _Haruno_," he waved off indifferently. "Perhaps I'm just hungry and want to eat as well?"

Sakura didn't look convinced which was evident in her scowl. What was with him? When she had wanted to not be ignored, this was the last person she would have thought to be her "companion". All she knew for fact was that he killed many people, not that she was one to judge. No, she wouldn't judge. She was merely pessimistic, was all. Keeping a negative outlook when she was technically "at the mercy of Itachi's strange ways" and in a blue man's company would keep the surprise to a minimal.

Itachi was watching Sakura the entire time as she still stood in the middle of the room and watched him with distant eyes; the same look that he got whenever he was thinking deeply. While raising the chopsticks to his mouth, he paused before it reached his lips and lowered his hand slowly. "Should I bring you over here myself?" Itachi asked lazily.

Sakura blinked and shook her thoughts away. "What?"

"If I didn't know any better I'd say you were more interested it eating him then what's on your plate. What were _you_ thinking?" Kisame interrupted from his spot on the couch with a sly grin forming, finished with a wiggle of his eye brows.

Sakura glared. "Nothing," she brushed off and walked to the opposite side of the table before pulling the old rustic chair out for her to sit on across from Itachi.

"Why are you wanting me to sit over here with you anyway?"she asked in true interest.

"…….Because Kisame and I were talking this morning," Itachi started after a moment of tense silence while setting his food down and leaning against the back of his chair. "It's about last night."

Sakura nearly choked right then and she could only imagine how wide her eyes were as they darted from Itachi to Kisame then back. The fact that Itachi would even consider talking to Kisame about her pouring out her frustrations on the Uchiha's shoulder last night was just too hard for her to comprehend.

"Something about what Goro said just didn't add up to the story he gave us," Itachi continued, all too aware that Sakura was stuck on a different subject then what he had intended. Again the smirk threatened to grow.

"G-Goro?" she clarified with relief flooding through her. "Oh… Right. Well what was it?"

Itachi studied her with his arms crossed over his chest and the look on his face clearly saying he was deep in thought, though Sakura wasn't entirely sure if it had anything to do with the topic at hand. It was then that she remembered that she was semi naked under her anbu cloak which added a thin pink to her cheeks….

"He said that they had Zetsu and Nara, however the reason behind an enemy camp keeping them alive just doesn't make sense."

Sakura's heart dropped a little at those words though she couldn't deny that she had come across the same thing. "So you think that the camp killed them off already?"

"Hard to say," he replied flatly.

"The risk of keeping either Zetsu or Nara is something that they wouldn't want to take. One could escape or send out help of some kind and if that happened, it would only be a matter of time before they were found," Kisame added while leaning forward with his elbows on his knees.

"Not to mention that for them to take prisoners would make moving the shinobi camp much harder," Sakura added while letting her hand cup her chin in thought. After a moment she continued. "Why would Goro lie about something like that? There wasn't any benefit on his part if he lied about Shikamaru and Zetsu being alive."

"That's what Itachi thought," Kisame clipped in.

"There must be another reason for it and if I had any idea on the end result I would say it had something to do with the meeting in five days," Itachi pondered.

"With Ryuu and Orochimaru?" Sakura blinked. "No. That doesn't make sense."

"Think about it," Itachi argued quietly. "Konoha is a village that many countries would never fight against. Same with Ame and Suna, so if you want to get allies in a war like this then you would need to show that Konoha isn't as strong as others thought. By taking in prisoners that would mean that we have a weakness. Especially so early in the war."

Before Sakura could say anything, Kisame added, "Don't forget that Zetsu is Akatsuki and Nara is well known through Konoha. Obviously people with names like them will be good motivation."

"So you think that Shikamaru and Zetsu will be at the meeting this weekend? But….But why? I mean I can't imagine them taking so many risks just to put them on display…. If they are still alive," Sakura pointed out.

"That's what caught me as well," Itachi admitted. "Though what if Ryuu has plans for them?"

This didn't sound good. "Plans?" Sakura asked skeptically. "Like what-"

"Execution," Kisame interrupted. "Kill the two enemies in front of other Village leaders and you have a riot ready to fight."

"But-"

"A member of Akatsuki and a shinobi from Konoha. Two ingredients to start an alliance bond." Itachi said quietly.

"But....."Sakura stopped and thought it over. It made sense and if it was true then they could be in more danger then they thought of it worked. "What are we supposed to do?"

Itachi closed his eyes and sighed while shifting in his seat to lean closer. "You won't like what I have to say."

"I think I'll live, Itachi," she retorted.

Opening his eyes, he studied her firm expression for a moment before continuing. "Obviously what we are supposed to do is go back to Konoha with this information and have the Hokage make the next decision…."

"But," she pushed.

"But we wouldn't make it in time to Stone until it was too late if we were sent to help Zetsu and Nara."

* * *

With the crescent moon filtering through the many clouds, a group of six landed upon high branches with the roar of leaves whipping through the wind around them, sending leaves fluttering in all directions. The leader of the six licked his lips in anticipation while his hair rippled around him, all as two dark yellow irises stared down upon what would be mistaken as a mountain when in truth it was a well placed genjutsu, hiding the once abandoned building underground.

"Is this it?" Sasuke asked irritably next to his mentor though his answer came from the white haired medic behind him.

"It is."

Sasuke tossed a glance over his shoulder at Kabuto who smiled back challengingly.

"Sasuke and I will take our leave," Orochimaru replied. "Keep your distance you three." With that said, he jumped from the high branches with Sasuke behind him, leaving Team Hebi with Kabuto.

"What? He doesn't think we can be trusted?" Karin scoffed loudly.

"Wow. Since when have you gotten smarter?" Kabuto commented sarcastically while pushing his glasses higher on the bridge of his nose.

Karin glared while Suigetsu's laughter was carried off by the harsh wind. Sasuke was far from caring about what happened in his absence.

All too focused on the task at hand, he allowed Orochimaru to unseal the genjutsu before both made their way pass the barrier where a film of swirling colors spun much like the colors of a bubble. The harsh wind disappeared as they passed through, leaving them both in silence despite the taps of the Sannin's sandals against cobblestone floors. Sasuke sent one last glance over his shoulder at the now blocked entrance before following down the dark hall were, much like Orochimaru's hideout, had many doorways on either side of him however this held many collapsed sections of the ceiling missing from what he assumed was once a fire before such a building was abandoned, letting damp, blue moonlight glow through the rafters.

Home, sweet, home. Though unlike Sound's base, this seemed to be a rather small building with tall pillars on either side of the walls until they reached the end of the rather short hallway that met with two double doors; two gas lanterns illuminating the dark brass tinted handles. Orochimaru's hand rose to the door before pausing, looking back with a pleased grin, then swinging open the large door to reveal an enormous room with lanterns scattered across the walls and long wood floor that spread out like a dance floor. Carefully, Sasuke stepped in after Orochimaru, taking in all that he could with first glances, sweeping the room of any tricks.

It was then that he realized that they weren't alone after a shift in the shadows drew his crimson attention, making him stop in half stride. A dark eye stared straight through Sasuke who stomped down on the sudden shiver that threatened to ripple through him. Dark suffocating chakra rolled in crashing waves from the dark shadow figure as an intense silence filled the room. Crimson stared back anxiously, unaware that this stranger was sizing him up.

"Ah, Orochimaru," the deep voice started, finally tearing his gaze away while stepping from the shadows as if melting to the nonexistent light. "Is this how you wanted to tell him?

"As inconvenient as it may be, I'm sure you were looking for a reason to get out of the village, yes?" Orochimaru grinned.

"Hmmm," the man said lightly while looking back to Sasuke then to Orochimaru. "It was bound to happen at some point."

"And what is it that you are talking about? If you want to talk to me as an inconvenience the just cut to the point and explain what's going on with Akatsuki," Sasuke retorted flatly.

The man turned to face Sasuke fully, letting the Uchiha take in his full appearance of onyx unruly hair and fully chiseled features; pale complexion, that stood out from the black undershirt, fishnet sleeves and dark carmine armor strapped to his built frame. He was considerably taller the Sasuke, only inches taller than Orochimaru, but even Sasuke could tell his power far outweighed both of theirs.

"The thing is, Uchiha Sasuke, that this information is worth something…."

"What do you want?" Sasuke asked, willing to hear the price for the truth.

"Simply that you will learn all the information you desire if you promise your loyalty to myself," his dark voice soothed while he set a hand to his chest for emphasis.

"Getting ahead of yourself don't you think?" Orochimaru wondered with a sly smirk.

"No use cutting corners," he said to the Sannin then turned back to the puzzled Uchiha. "I guarantee you won't have any regrets."

"How do I know what you say isn't a lie?"

"There are other ways to get what I want without wasting my time with lies," the man said while pacing the length of the room towards Sasuke who stood his ground. "Besides," he started as he circled the youngest Uchiha who kept his eyes ahead, waiting to hear what this man had to say. "If you want to know about everything like your brother, then I am the only one to tell you…"

"And how is it," Sasuke retorted slowly, watching what he said not to insult the shinobi, "that you have these answers?"

"If I told you everything then where would the fun be?"

"……..Who are you?"

The man walked in front of Sasuke, toe to toe with the youngest Uchiha, both dark eyes staring into each other, one hold sinister plans. "Some… call me _Ryuu_."

For the first time, Sasuke blinked and a tense shiver rolled down his spine though he hid it well. Ryuu was the one in charge of this entire war, the mind behind it all. No wonder his chakra was venomous and now he stood within two feet of him. "But that isn't your real name…."

"Is it?" Ryuu asked with raised brows. A silky chuckle vibrated through while he turned around to a lone desk at the back of the room where he took a seat. Blinking back his anxiety, Sasuke followed until he was a few feet from the front of the mahogany desk. "When you say you want loyalty, you mean?"

"It doesn't matter what it depends on. Loyalty in general if that answer makes you feel better," Ryuu's lips pulled to a grin while he laced his fingers together in front of his face.

"It doesn't," Sasuke retorted in a low tone.

"Then there is no pleasing you." Ryuu glanced across the papers sprawled over the top of his desk before looking back to Sasuke. "You want revenge. You will have it. All I want is to have you understand what I have planned and that you are not allowed to act with my say so. That would be all. This information is powerful and as such, I want you to keep in mind that we have more important things to do then to clear your conscience."

Sasuke stayed silent.

"Is that a deal?"

"Hn. As long as I get my revenge against Itachi I don't care what it takes," he answered coldly with narrowed eyes but blinked when this made Ryuu rock his head back, emitting a dark laugh.

"Itachi?" he started with a sinister smile curling his lips. "No, not him…."

Orochimaru licked his lips.

"Uchiha Itachi is innocent…."

* * *

"And the other option?" Sakura asked Itachi with furrowed brows, dreading the next alternative.

"The other possibility is that we act on our own and head to Stone Country now to infiltrate the meeting." There was a long stale pause that pulled at the air around them while Itachi let it sink in. "Of course this would mean that we acted out of orders, also referred to as 'rouge ways'," he added.

"They wouldn't think that we would just turn against Konoha, would they?" Sakura asked in mild shock.

At this Kisame snorted and kicked up his heals on the arm of the couch while pulling his hands around the back of his neck. "Com'on kitten. We aren't exactly the law abiding citizens you think we are."

"But Tsunade knows you would keep your word—and she knows I would never go against Konoha—"

"Tsunade isn't the one in charge." Itachi interrupted coldly.

Sakura's brows pulled together in confusion at the sudden bitterness, but Itachi for once avoided her gaze. "What do you mean? She's the hokage."

"This is a Democracy, not a Monarchy," he answered flatly, pulling his intense stare straight to hers, daring her to push him on the subject. However Sakura was smart enough to realize when she was on a narrow path and kept quiet, keeping this small information in the back of her mind for later thinking.

"Your Council Elders will do everything they can to lock our asses up," Kisame added. "And even if that would cause some uneven ground with Ame for breaking Konoha's word, I don't think the Council will back down."

"I have faith in Tsunade….," Sakura insisted, staring down at her long forgotten food. "But are these really the only two options?"

"It will take five days just to reach Stone. We aren't even sure if the meeting between the Kages are on Saturday or Sunday. Not to mention but if we were to leave this afternoon, that only gives us a few hour window to receive the extensive arrangements. Everything will come into play at that point." Itachi stood up and began to pace the living room. "We'll have at least four different Ops, ready to attack anything that could endanger their Kage at the drop of a Senbon, not to mention standard guards, anbu, teams, and plenty of witnesses, leaving our plan to only work with perfect precision."

"Spying on allied countries, sabotage, extortion, disguises, plenty of running and killing, kidnapping back the kidnapped AND if we're lucky, assassination," Kisame summed up in a slurred speech, clearly drifting off in a small nap.

Sakura blinked and set a hand to her forehead. "That's impossible."

"What are you talk's bout kitten? You'll have me," Kisame snickered beneath his arm that was slung over his eyes.

Sakura said nothing, only shaking her head as if to clear the whole mess up. Itachi had stopped his pacing while watching Sakura pick through what was at stake.

"There isn't even a possibility that Shikamaru and Zetsu are alive, though," she said quietly to Itachi, finally dragging her emerald eyes to meet his.

"You're right. There isn't."

"On one hand we could die trying to bring back two corpses, though we would be able to ruin Ryuu's plan and keep Konoha, Suna, and Ame with a good hold on this war, not to forget that we could end up in prison if we make it back alive because we would be "missing-ninja" for acting on our own….. and on the other hand, if we don't go then we could end up making one of the biggest mistakes in this war…."

Itachi said nothing.

The stakes were high.

"Damn…. This is a mess."

* * *

The truth…. The overpowering, suffocating truth that latched to his ankle and pulled him under the crashing, roaring waves of hatred and error. All he knew had been a lie. All the choices he made in life to bring forth his vengeance were directed to the wrong man this entire time while the real corruptors were still out there living their lives as peaceful as the next puppet masters. The sick bastards would pay for this. Pay for making Uchiha Itachi kill his own family. Pay for corrupting the village. Pay for sending orders to kill the_ innocent_ Uchiha clan because they feared of their powers. The faintest question of whether what Ryuu said was true was pushed from his mind. Of course the Uchiha clan was innocent. They wouldn't rise against Konoha in a coup d'état. That was preposterous! All that he felt was the raw white hot hatred burn deep through his narrowed scarlet eyes. Revenge was said to be a double edged sword… A two headed cobra…. Well Uchiha Sasuke had larger fangs then this cobra. If he had killed Itachi then those words of revenge would have been more then true…. But he knew the truth. Itachi was innocent. The eldest brother had been forced to kill the family but spared Sasuke just for Sasuke to later take Itachi's life when he was strong enough so his older brother would no longer live the guilt.

His brother only wanted Sasuke to rebuild the clan on a new foundation of honor and nobility. Konoha would pay. The truth was out and as Sasuke stood in the middle of Ryuu's and Orochimaru's attention, he swore that Konoha would burn under his hand. Both shoulders shook and his scarlet eyes ignited wildly, giving the posture of a snake coiled stiffly and ready to strike.

"Sasuke, I believe you gave me your word," addressed Ryuu from the five foot he stood in front of the youngest Uchiha.

There was a tense pause before Sasuke raised his eyes to the dark haired shinobi. "Yes and I keep my word but in exchange I want to have a larger part in this war."

There was the slightest pull of Ryuu's lips and the sinister eyes shimmered coyly through the shadows. Orochimaru, though was the first to address Sasuke on his bargain. "You have a large hand in this already. You don't think I would be keeping you from a mission now do you?"

"You kept the truth from me," he snapped disrespectfully though he only received the same grin from the Sannin as always.

"I think," the tall menacing shinobi started with his carmine armor hanging boldly, yet loose, over his shoulders. "That in order for you to have this… _larger part_, as you said yourself, you will need to take orders from a different stand point… Isn't that right Orochimaru?" he asked the last part in a different tone over his shoulder to the snake sannin whose grin dispersed immediately.

"Am I to assume that you would like the entire team?"

"Well," his dark gaze turned to Sasuke. "That's all up to him isn't it?"

Sasuke blinked but his expression never changed an inch from the sinister scowl. "My team… They'll come with me to serve under… _Ryuu_," the youngest Uchiha decided. If Ryuu was calling the shots then that means Sasuke would have more control over the situation with Konoha. The downside to that would be he was always travelling and his training wouldn't be as usual between bases.

Ryuu felt his inner power rise pleasurably and a gleam entered his dark irises. "Then it is settled. We are to stay here for the remainder of the week and when it comes time to this weekend, there is a major meeting that I will attend to in Kumogakure."

"Cloud? And what business would you have there?" Sasuke asked curiously.

"A meeting between Mist, Cloud, Stone and Sound about allying in the war against Konoha, Ame, and Suna," Ryuu explained as he turned and started walking away to his desk. "Konoha is known for their militia as well as Suna. There is no reason to underestimate them. And with Rain with them, then it gives them an advantage that I wish we had."

"And what is that?"

"Rain is a village of rogues; all killers and bloodlust shinobi. True they live in peace among each other, though that doesn't mean that they fight clean. The village itself is run by one man who believes himself a God and they are loyal to the end. A single command from him and they take any means necessarily to accomplish it."

Sasuke stayed quiet for a moment before something came to mind. If Konoha would burn then what of the people he knew? Not that he cared, but some of them would prove valuable to him in the future. What of Itachi? There wasn't a reason to kill his older brother. In fact he would rather find somewhere in this war a way to fight along side him like never before. How would he be able to pull that off though? It would be simple to tell Itachi his plan, right? If that was the case, Itachi would want his own revenge on Konoha and with the last Uchihas fighting with Ryuu then that would give a full advantage over the others.

"Now I trust you Sasuke," Ryuu said curtly. "I don't want you or anyone else going on your own without my permission to partake in _any_ battle. I will be absent 95% of the time so you have virtually free rein."

"Gone? That's a long time. And where exactly do you go?" Sasuke asked suspiciously.

The dark Mizukage chuckled. "No matter how powerful you are over the time you kill, you can't have everyone do the work for you. I myself am a spy in a very delicate situation that I can't blow."

Orochimaru licked his lips. "Konoha doesn't even realize that all the information they are whispering among themselves is a scream to all of us with Ryuu as a spy there. And very close to Tsunade…"

Sasuke couldn't help but be impressed. Ryuu, being as powerful as he was, still was able to stay in a very low key position….right under the Hokage's nose.

**So Sasuke only learned the partial truth….. Wonder how it will play out? So much drama and so much more to go!!! Can't wait! So it's building up to this major meeting!!! Next time we'll see what Konoha is up to!!! **

**Anyway please review! Let me know! I want at least………..10 reviews before I update. That's a set goal because I do have other stories I have neglected for a while. Any questions then please ask! **


	17. Confused Chaos

**Sorry guys! I have no excuse for not updating for cough2yearscough… ^^' But I have to say that when you leave a story for two years and decide to continue then IT IS HELL! Especially when the next chapter has to be big on action. Yeah it was hard… So please be kind. I will get back on track… **

**Oh and this chapter wasn't what I was expecting, but my fingers just got away from me on this one.**

Chapter 17

_I'm going to die here…._

The thought left less fear then she thought was possible as she agilely jumped behind a boulder just as fire burned at the stone surface. Smoke, dust, and shouts clouded the air in the once pristine City Square as bodies of few littered the stone grounds and people ran in panicked pandemonium through the streets. It was more than Sakura could comprehend as her heart pounded erratically at her chest cavity and her lungs refused to gulp more air. Blood soaked her bare arm, dripping down to her fingertips that gripped her sword, waiting for her attackers to make the next move. In the mist of the chaos around her, fear was not the emotion that held the kunoichi as she risked a glance at the stage like setting where both Shikamaru and Zetsu hung limp from two posts.

She was in over her head. Only her team of three were taking on an entire village's defense line. Sure it was nothing new to Itachi and Kisame but Sakura Haruno had never done anything to this scale before.

It was the fact that her team had acted out to save the two ninja and were about to be killed within the walls of the village that sparked a torrent of white-hot rage. Their plan was going along fine. In fact it had been perfect until the Kages who sat greedily at the table decided to make an example of the two prisoners.

All three of them were in place, hiding on top of a balcony right above the Kages. And that was when Orochimaru had stood from his seat and announced his and "Ryuu's" new creation. He had called it a _mutt_ and only when she saw it did she understand. Four large shinobi the size of Ibiki held fast to what looked like a regular ninja strapped with chains, but a closer look told you different.

"What the fucking hell is that?" Kisame cursed in his own disgust as he stared at the scene below them.

Long slimy like tongue slithered out of a pale face and greasy hair hung over his eyes. It looked taller than any man she had ever seen and his clothes were tattered rags to the reptilian scale-like pale skin. His legs were longer then a normal man's, looking more like a beast's though no hair adorned his flesh and talon like claws clenched at the chains hungrily until something had drawn its attention. His tongue had flickered in and out-tasting the air until it was suddenly pulling the men towards the two bloody bodies of Shikamaru and Zetsu.

"What do we do?" Sakura had whispered harshly to Itachi and Kisame who waited next to her, watching with dark eyes. Not getting an answer, she looked back at the creature and then to her teammates. "We have to do something!"

"Wait…." Was all she heard from Itachi and she only stared in disbelief at him. But biting her lip, she knew he wouldn't let anything happen to Shikamaru and Zetsu or else the last 5 days and this attack would be for nothing.

An intense bellow left the mutt's throat, bring Sakura back to the scene below and suddenly it was on all fours scurrying against the chain until it was only a breaths away from Shikamaru's slumped form. Sakura watched in utter horror as the monstrosity of what was once a man reached a clawed hand downwards to rip into Shikamaru's flesh before stopping as something else had caught its attention. The slimy tongue slithered out again… and again until suddenly his head jerked up and a new hunger ached at the creature. It's piercing yellow eyes locked with hers and she knew they were caught. Before the mutt started to try climbing the wall behind the Kages to get at them… before the Kage's realized the meeting was compromised and went to hide away. Before the dark figure with onyx hair and reds eyes known as Ryuu ordered the mutt off its chain, she knew. And that was when all hell broke loose. The mutt scaled the stone wall and reached for her throat, only managing to scratch deep into her flesh along her shoulder just as Itachi managed to pull her away and to safety behind him. Itachi soon after ignited the lizard-like-man into flames as it tried to twist away from the inferno that licked at its scales before falling with a cry unforgotten to Sakura's ears. The thud it landed with was loud and the screams of civilians that had gathered to watch the Kage's and the execution sent a wild frenzy out of control.

Before she knew what happened next, she was in an unending battle that would make Kakashi proud. She drove her fist into the sternum of her nearest attack that inched around the safety of her boulder, collapsing his chest and crushing his heart. Before she could catch her breath, another ninja attacked with a sickle blade, swiping desperately at her stomach before a katana into his spine from behind made him fall limp to the ground dead. Emerald eyes glanced up at Itachi who met her eyes momentarily before nodding at the new wave of enemy shinobi sprinting across the rooftops towards them, pushing them further to the center of the village. She somersaulted once and kicked out the legs of one of her opponents who had made the mistake of getting too close to her. As his back hit the ground with a hard _thud_ she sat up to her knees before sending a punch hard into his windpipe effectively crushing it. Panting with adrenaline and the beginnings of fatigue, Sakura turned back to where Itachi sliced at two shinobi, killing them directly, before lodging a kunia into another's throat with blood gushing n bucket loads down the Uchiha's arm. Though Sakura was wounded deeply in her right shoulder and she had a few cracked ribs, she knew Itachi was in far better shape than herself. A hundred yards away came the sound of rushing water, drawing the tired kunoichi's attention to her left as she dodged a wave of quicksand from an attacker. Kisami had nearly a subdivision of shinobi trapped inside his watery prison but struggled as a few others assailed against him.

"Cut them down from the posts," Itach ordered to Sakura as he took out another opponent with a fire jutsu. "We need to get out before more come."

Sakura nodded and sprinted for all she was worth towards the post, climbing up the stage as two more ninja jumped down from the balcony above. Sakura threw her sword into the second one's gut and used a chakra scalpel into the closest shinobi's neck, slicing his artery and windpipe. Retrieving her gory sword, she stretched to the first wooden post where Shikamaru hung and sliced through the ropes with a painful grunt. A sharp cry left her lips as she reached out to grab her friend and his weight unknowingly tore open her wound more, making more life blood pool down her arm. Carefully she felt for a pulse and relief spread through her bones when she felt one, faded and weak. Turning back to Zetsu, she used her left arm and chopped at the rope repeatedly until it finally gave way and he fell against the stage, missing the abandoned dinner table where all the Kages had sat moments before their attack, discussing over a feast as to negotiations for the war. Taking a shaky but much needed breath, she tried to gain an ounce of control over her adrenaline but failed.

Before she could register what happened next, a door where the Kages had taken refuge from the fighting had slammed open and a platoon of Anbu surged forward, spotting Sakura and their prisoners in front of them. It didn't take but a second for them to recognize her as a Leaf Kunoichi and they were at her in a flash. She somersaulted backwards before pulling her fist back, ignoring the agonizing pain from her shoulder and the dizziness from the blood loss that threatened to weaken her as she hit the ground beneath her, sending boulders and rocks flying high in all directions. A few men were unfortunate and ended stuck or smashed between the rocks, but much to Sakura's dismay, most weren't affected and charged at her with weapons.

"Shit!" she cursed under her breath as she prepared for the first attacker. It wasn't until Sakura was hand to hand with one that she realized that these shinobi weren't normal. Pointed teeth snarled at her and the kunais she had seen in their hands were actually imbedded inside sewn up flesh between their knuckles; their fingers long and skinny with yellow pointed nails reaching for her face. With an agonizing punch to the creature's face, he fell dead with his skull shattered behind his eyes. Four more came at her at once and she spun around to slice at the next one but a sudden yell pulled her attention. Time seemed to slow as she looked to the voice to see Itachi yelling at her but it was too late as an explosion threw her and the attackers 20 feet into the air. Blackness engulfed her as a sudden flashback folded over her conscious form.

_(flashback 4 hours earlier)_

_The decision was easier for her to make then she wanted to admit. Perhaps it was Itachi and Kisame's influence on her to where she picked up their habits with not having a care in the world about turning their back to their village. But that wasn't true…. She did care that she was acting against her village. She only justified it to ease her conscience to a whisper instead of the insistant scratching of guilt. Though no matter how loud the scratching was she continued to tell herself it was the only real chance to save Shikamaru and Zetsu. Deep down she knew, if they returned to the Village and left it to their hands then the chances of getting her comrades back alive were nearly impossible. But even so she still felt the guilt tugging at her. _

"_So you understand the plan, kitten?" Kisame asked, drawing her out of her thoughts while rubbing Sameheda evilly. _

_Sakura blinked before nodding her head numbly, avoiding Itachi's onyx gaze that bore into her. "Yea… don't get killed," she answered shortly but she knew there was more to it. _

_Kisame cackled loudly, making Sakura stare at him skeptically. How he could be so care free about their situation, she would never know. She only ever felt this nervous twice with her ridiculous routine to get Sasuke back and when she prepared to fight to get Gaara from Sasori. Sakura sighed for what had to be the fiftieth time today. When they had all agreed to go straight to Stone Country, she hadn't realized how much it would take out of her. She felt sluggish and exhausted from the five days travel which would have been an easy seven day at a normal pace. But instead they had ran nearly day and night to reach stone just for Itachi and Kisame to go scouting ahead which she was more than grateful for. Itachi had sensed how tired she was and allowed her to rest while the two "more experienced criminals" took charge and came up with a plan. However what had her concerned was the "if they did make it out alive" then what would happen when they returned to Konoha. Would Tsunade try to keep them out of trouble and convince the elders to turn a blind eye to their actions? Surely her mentor would try her damnest… But even deep, deep down, the kunoichi knew the chances were slim… Did that mean that she should return home, expecting to be arrested, though?_

"_Ah… C'mon now kid," Kisame said with a blood thirsty grin that only added to his intent. "You're going to bring down my good mood."_

"_Kisame," Itachi spoke for the first time since they had returned. Meeting the Uchiha's gaze, Kisame's grin dropped slightly and he shrugged before walking away into the forest, hefting Samaheda onto his shoulder. _

_Sakura swallowed noticing that she was now alone with Itachi. She still wasn't sure what-IF- anything was between them since the night he held her until she slept and she secretly wanted to keep any chances of a repeat at bay. He must have noticed her hesitate to glance at him and chose to stay where he was. "There is a lot going on in your mind, kunochi," he stated more then asked. With a pointed look in his direction from Sakura he continued. "I can see the cogs turning even now."_

"_Congratulations on your observation. However, you being shunned from your village isn't anything new for you," she murmured while turning her head to the side. _

_Itachi stared at her, watching as she try to ignore him before he decided to continue. "Let's say they do declare we are traitors or say we turned into deserters… What would you rather have? Be arrested for your crime or live a life on the run?"_

"_What are you going on about-" Sakura started irritably._

"_Answer the question."_

"_I already know what you chose," she huffed, watching him now-knowing that she could turn this conversation into something bad if she wasn't careful. "You didn't want to answer for your crimes."_

_Ignoring the meaning behind her words, he continued. "I'm not talking about me. I specifically asked __**what **__would __**you**__ do?"_

_The question threw her. So much so that her glare lessened and the only intelligible thing that came out was "huh?"_

_Itachi finally turned his gaze away deciding to wait instead of repeat himself. _

_After a few moments of thought, Sakura straightened up. "I would allow myself to be arrested of course."_

_At this Itachi gave a wry smirk but there was no humor behind it. "Because you believe it is the right thing to do." His tone had changed into one almost taunting as if he was mocking her. At this, she wasn't sure what to think. "I suppose you think I would have been a better man if I had stayed or turned myself in."_

"_Well, yes considering who you murdered," she retorted hotly even though the statement he said was rhetorical._

"_Let us say we return and a warrant is out for our arrest…. Will you expect Kisame and myself to stay and be taken in?"_

"… _If you were good men you would-"_

_Suddenly Itachi was in her face, his breath fanning over her startled expression. "But we are not, Sak-ur-a," Itachi whispered enunciating her name. "We don't go by the rules and neither do your Village. You would think that with the war going on that they would be a little more slack with the laws but you are wrong. There was a time before when you and Kakashi and your teammates left one mission and took off onto your own vendetta and when you returned, your Hokage gave you a little slap on the wrist because the elders were watching. Now….. __**Now**__ is different. You are in an alliance with Akatsuki and people are already missing and towns are burning. With us not returning to the village we are already printed in the Bingo books or labeled dead. Don't think for a second that anyone other than Kakashi and your friends to stand up for you. You will be cast aside and no one will help you out of prison."_

_Sakura stared back into onyx eyes, dark with intent and danger lurking in every pore of his face. Anger over rode her fear momentarily as she stood to her feet and pushed past the towering Uchiha but he gripped her wrist tight and swung her around till her back had hit a boulder making her wince as a sharp pain bolted through her spine. _

"_Don't push me again," he nearly hissed as emerald eyes stared with cold fear into his crimson red. "I won't tolerate it, Sakura."_

_Everyone knew he had killed people for less and that thought alone was enough for her anger to diminish. Sakura swallowed as she tried to put a mask of calm over. She managed just enough to hide her direct fear but he saw it in her eyes, felt it in her tense upper arms. He was only trying to help her and she had snapped back at him because she didn't want to hear what he had to say….didn't want to know the truth about their situation. Sure she knew what she was getting into but actually being in Stone right outside the village… It was a real wakeup call that the life she knew was most likely not going to ever be the same. "I'm sorry," Sakura mumbled while pulling her eyes away. "I know you are trying to explain it to me… I shouldn't have pushed you." _

_Itachi blinked and lessened his grip on her when he felt her relax. He wasn't sure why he was getting so worked up over it. Normally he would just sit back and watch in amusement as her world would be turned upside down but now… now his actions explained exactly what he felt. He wanted her to know what was going to happen, what kind of trouble they were all in. He didn't want her to think she was alone through it. Even today he still bore the guilt he had from betraying his village. "You are so naïve and innocent," he murmured more to himself then to her. "You think that something will prove me wrong and you will be ok in the long run."_

_"I….I'm just wishing I didn't have to make this decision, is all. Whatever happens, will happen…. It's just the life of a shinobi…," she said softly, already at a resolve that nothing after this will be the same. Her life was pretty much over, right?_

"_You forget that we are a team now," Itachi's voice was softer now and as she met his gaze to see if he was still angry, she only met black eyes instead of the flaring red staring at a spot above her. There was a long moment of tense silence and after a heavy sigh he continued. "If we make it back safely then whatever you chose when we get to the village is what we will do as well."_

"_Huh?" Sakura asked stupidly. His hand smoothed out a patch of her pink hair softly but he still avoided her questioning gaze. "You mean if I chose to be arrested instead of run… you both would do the same?" _

_Silence grew between them, stretching to what seemed like hours before he merely nodded and stepped back from her. _

"_But why?" _

_Itachi only shrugged with a "Hn." and turned away from her, feeling her stare into his back because he didn't know himself. _

The Kage tower quaked as debris, boulders, and smoke blinded Sakura's vision. The impact with the hard-packed earth of the plain knocked the wind out of her and the ground still shook with more explosions from further away. But what concerned Sakura was that she couldn't hear any of them; not the booms or the screams of people.

With tired and weak limbs, she pulled herself up, pushing through a few large rocks that landed on her. Emerald eyes glanced around and it was then she noticed that her left eye was blurry and stung from blood pouring freely from a gash above her eyebrow. Panic began to settle into her bones as the blurriness in her mind started to clear. She was bleeding badly now and her ribs were excruciatingly throbbing against her muscles; her hearing non-existent and even as she made a feeble attempt at standing, she realized she was dizzy to the point everything was spinning around her; the buildings, enemy shinobi, Itachi defending her from any attacks as he tried to talk to her.

She vaguely wondered in her tired mind, as she got to her feet, if he was saying any comforting words or if he was concerned about how she was right now. Surely that foreign look in his eye meant something right?

Sakura blinked hard, trying to get her sight focused before making a sluggish attempt at retrieving her sword and just as she turned to cover Itachi's back, a katana was slid carefully around her throat and another hand gripped her right shoulder. Two hard fingers dug into her fleshy wound where the first mutt had clawed at her, making her release her sword with a cry of pain. The world began to spin faster but she could see more then felt herself being pulled backwards towards what was left of the stage where Shikamaru and Zetsu lay untouched. The feeling of warm breath on her ear told her that whoever held her captive now was talking to her but she couldn't hear a word, only look out as the numbers of the enemy shinobi had dwindled to only a few teams now.

Unexpectedly everything seemed to freeze and come to a halt as Itachi killed the last of the squad that had him preoccupied. Turning to where he left Sakura, he blinked and his gaze landed on her with a katana to her throat.

"I would have never thought to see this," breathed her captor to Itachi, his voice laced with surprise and hatred.

"You didn't think Konoha would agree to take me back?" he inquired with his Sharrigan spinning dangerously. "Judging by how you don't seem that surprised, I imagine you were told already."

"Did you want_ that_ kept a secret too?" her captor asked with the katana edging closer to his hostage's throat.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you, brat," Kisame grumbled with Samaheda grinding against the stone hard floor. "I happen to like the kitten, if you catch my drift."

"Let her go Sasuke," came a new voice from behind the youngest Uchiha. "I have plans for her that requires her to be alive."

Sasuke glared at Kabuto as the white haired medic walked around to face Sakura. With eyes narrowing, Sasuke suddenly knew what he had meant. "_This_ is the girl you have been watching? Sakura?" At this, he let out a dry laugh and spun the said girl around to meet her wide emerald eyes. "What is it that makes you so special?" he hissed.

"Sasuke?" she mumbled in surprise now coming face to face with her captor. He only rolled his eyes with a cocky smirk, waiting for her to throw her arms around him—

POW!

He was suddenly thrown backwards into the Kage building as dust and more debris covered the area. Sakura suddenly felt faint and slumped to her knees, feeling someone rush to her side. Looking up, dread filled her when she saw it wasn't Itachi but Orochimaru's medic.

"Damn kitten-good punch! So what did he mean by 'been watching'?" Kisame asked as he stepped forward. "You are a fucking pervert just like your master, ain't ya?"

"Ah dear, looks like your temper hasn't improved at all," Kabuto commented, ignoring Kisame as he pulled away from another one of Sakura's punches.

"That… fucking…. Bitch," came the venomous grumbles from Sasuke as he stepped out of the wreckage, wiping blood from his lip as he sauntered out.

"She can't hear you, Sasuke. Her ears are bleeding badly. Probably ruptured from an explosion," mused Kabuto as he almost playfully stalked around Sakura's form, every now and then reaching out to try and grab her halfheartedly. Itachi gripped his own katana tightly, ready for whatever happened next. With a quick pointed glance at his partner, a new plan was made as Kisame nodded knowingly.

"What happens next," Kisame asked as he stepped forward making a casual beeline towards the teasing Sound medic. He didn't really care to know the answer as he was only trying to distract the two opponents.

"Hmmm? Oh I take this kunoichi off your hands and Sasuke can do whatever he wants with you," Kabuto waved off as if it was the most casual thing in the world.

"Yeeeaaaa I don't think you understand when I said 'I like the kitten'. She's going nowhere with you two that's for damn sure," Kisame promised darkly.

Before either Sasuke or Kabuto had anytime to retort, Itachi was on them in a second, swinging his katana gracefully, closing in on their space quickly until Sasuke's blade bit right back into steel. Both blades were locked together as Sasuke twirled to the right, slashing vertically his older brother. Kabuto, taking his chance, gripped Sakura's hair and pulled her to her feet but that was all she needed as she kneed him in the groin before punching him squarely on the chin. Her chakra was low, luckily for him, as he was only thrown back a few feet. A bloody smirk was aimed at her before Kisame stepped in cockily before calling back to Sakura, "Sorry, kid, but I want a go at him next."

But Sakura still couldn't hear and instead ran over to the two unconscious bodies-the reason they were there. Picking Zetsu off the floor, she felt a grumble in his chest, telling her he was coming to. As he sat up with her help, she was met with a black and white face, drained and weary from the drugs they had probably used. She flashed him a quick smile and pointed at her forehead protector around her neck, showing him she was on his side before he acted on instinct and attacked her. Once she saw the recognition in his eyes, she didn't waste time as she ran a quick assessment on his condition, unaware that he had been asking her some questions. "I can't hear you," she said what she thought wasn't too loud or too soft. A blank look was all she received and she mentally rolled her eyes before pointing to her bloody ears as if that would explain why she wasn't answering his many questions and it seemed to as he only nodded and looked towards the two fights in progress. "We need to get out of here quick before more shinobi come. We won't be able to hold out much longer."

Zetsu only nodded his head in acknowledgment before pointing to himself then to Shikamaru. Sakura looked back and forth before it dawned on her and she agreed to him carrying Shikamaru out. Running to her friends limp body she tried to assess his damage but only a deep frown pulled at her lips. Quickly she laid his body flat on the ground and set her ear to his heart before remembering she wouldn't be able to hear. Pissed off at herself for thinking that, she quickly with trained fingers looked for a pulse but when finding none, she panicked. Taking her combat gloves off, she thrust chakra into his chest cavity and into his heart. Feeling no pulse she tried again, again, again, again, and again until she knew there was nothing left. It was pointless as Shikamaru lay unmoving beneath her fingers; the result of overdose of sedative drugs. His heart had long since stopped and she knew it was all a waste. She was nearly out of chakra, and out of energy. She didn't even have the strength to cry and deep down hated herself for that. He deserved that from her. Shikamaru deserved better.

Zetsu understood her silent still form and he lifted his partner up to his arms and stood to his feet telling Sakura to follow him, though he knew it was pointless for him to say so. The kunoichi made to follow but halted in her steps. "Itachi," she said aloud and turned to run back to the fighting. Zetsu watched as she left him and ran after the eldest Uchiha with the faintest smirk on his lips before he turned and left the village with the body of Shikamaru in his arms.

"Itachi!"

The said man turned to see Sakura running towards them, still stumbling slightly. Turning back he dodged a lightning attack from Sasuke. "I know the truth, Itachi," Sasuke growled out. "You were innocent. They ordered you to kill our family!"

"Hn… Then why do you still stay with Orochimaru if you know, little brother?" Itachi asked, not short on his own venom. If Sasuke didn't know the truth he would have still thought that Itachi was a cold hearted killer.

"Because I'm not after you. It's Konoha that is going to be destroyed and I will return," Sasuke said darkly. "I will kill Danzou and their hokage and all that interfere."

"What makes you think you can accomplish that? Leave it Sasuke. I killed our family and if you want revenge then it's me you have to kill…. Are you strong enough for that yet?"

"I'm not going to kill you. But how the hell can you go back to Konoha after all they have done to us?" Sasuke asked angrily with his arms thrown out to his sides. "No-no…. I will have my revenge. They will all die."

Itachi stared at his younger brother who stood nearly as tall as him now. He knew he meant it but surely even Sasuke would know that such an attack was pointless. It wasn't just the Leaf Village that had a corrupt system; every village had. It was politics and no matter how much he wished it wasn't true, it was inevitable. "Sasuke, you still don't understand anything," Itachi said coldly earning a death worthy glare from the younger brother.

"I understand more then you know…" he hissed but was interrupted when Sakura stood boldly next to Itachi matching his glare. Bitterness and something else raged inside him at the sight and he decided he _hated_ seeing Itachi and Sakura together like that. "What's this? Sakura has found a new school-girl crush, has she?" he scoffed. "Confessed her undying love for you yet, brother?"

Itachi only watched Sasuke with a knowing stare before answering, "She hasn't done anything of the sort… and I would like to point out she is not longer a _girl_-as you put it- but a fine grown kunoichi." Itachi's amusement grew when Sasuke gritted his teeth. "You don't know her like you think you do…"

Sakura watched, wondering what would happen next between the two brothers. There was now a sharp ringing in her ears and she only hoped that meant her hearing was returning though at the moment she really didn't mind seeing as she was in no mood to listen to Sasuke talk about revenge. She did have to admit she was surprised to see that he wasn't desperately trying to kill Itachi like before. Why was he just talking? And what was with the death glare…aimed at _her_?

Watching them talk for a moment longer didn't prepare her for what happened next. A strong arm wrapped around her shoulders pulling her into Itachi's side and he leant down to whisper something in her ear. His warm breath fanned over her chilled skin, causing her to blush at the closeness. His fingers tickled at her side making a soft pull at the corner of her lips unexpectedly as she tried to look into Itachi's eyes that bore right into hers with a depth she had never seen before. Emerald eyes looked back to the younger Uchiha just in time to see Sasuke lunging at them but everything went black before his blade could reach the two. Wind whipped wildly around her and dust blinded her vision before suddenly clearing and leaving them once again at the Village walls of Stone where they had started their crazy day that morning.

Nausea rolled through Sakura and she spun away from Itachi to throw up her lunch on the ground but he didn't seem to be bothered. "It takes a while to get used to the effects of the Jutsu," he said more to himself as another gust of wind started and Kisame appeared moments later with a toothy grin.

"Damn girl," Kisame cackled. "You have a weak stomach."

"She can't hear you," Itach said flatly and helped Sakura up. Her face was pale and her eyes blood shot. With careful arms he lifted Sakura in his arms and began a fast paced sprint. Kisame followed with a care-free shrug of his shoulders and wiped some blood from a gash at his chest.

"I can walk," she argued weakly but made no move to get out of Itachi's strong grip. Her adrenaline was drained and her strength gone. "Shikamaru… he didn't make it. Those bastards overdosed him," Sakura cursed but didn't look for a reply, only closed her eyes and wished it wasn't true.

Itachi's dark irises looked down at the sleeping kunoichi in his arms and he unconsciously pulled her closer to him, feeling her breath against his chest.

Kisame watched his partner out of the corner of his eye and didn't miss the smallest ounce of concern that leaked into Itachi's expression. "So where the fuck is Zetsu?" he asked, ignoring his observation.

"Hn…. I saw him leaving with the other leaf nin," he replied shortly. "We will meet up with him at the Leaf border."

Kisame only nodded before a sick grin curled his lips. "I sliced up the slimy medic before we left! Hahaa he fucking slipped up and I got his cocky ass. The little snake managed to get away though."

Itachi said nothing as he tried to remember the sight of Ryuu. The man had been in the darker end of the table and had a dark aura around him that made Itachi feel like he had felt that same chakra before. But the chakra was so well hidden and so venomous that he just couldn't be sure. What he did know was that this man was dangerous and was the mastermind behind the Nations War.

**A/N: Well, I have to say I didn't think I'd ever get another chapter up. I'm sorry it's taken so long and huge thank you to the people who've kept me going through the PM's and reviews. Without you this would have been done in my head only. I'd also like to apologize over the length, it's quite short; but it's been bouncing around on my hard drive so long that if I didn't finish it here I'd never upload it.**

**I will try to be quicker with my next post... *winces*. Reviews will make it uploaded faster! Maybe this week it will be up… *grins***

**I hope that you will all have patience with me and if you're still sticking with me…. Huge thanks!**

**Take care and have a great week.**

_**Also! More about this chapter will be explained in the next…. There is a reason why I had Sakura deaf and not knowing what was going on between Sasuke and Itachi… Soooo for those wanting more ItaSaku already then stay tuned for next chapter! **_


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